GfK Streamlines Business and Adds to the Board

From January, GfK will replace its existing five business divisions with three sectors in order to exploit synergies in the cross-divisional use of technology, data collection and the application of methods. The firm has also appointed Debra Pruent to its Management Board.

Currently the group is structured around Custom Research, Retail and Technology, Consumer Tracking, Media and HealthCare. The new structure focuses on Custom Research, Retail and Technology, and the firm says this will more accurately reflect the services it provides.

The Custom Research sector is split into three - Custom Research, Consumer Tracking and HealthCare. New board member Pruent will be responsible for Custom Research in North America, while Petra Heinleim will head the sector for all other regions. Pruent also takes on responsibility for Business and Technology and Automotive within the division.

Wilhelm Wessels will continue to manage Consumer Tracking and HealthCare, and also manage the Media team. Gérard Hermet will remain responsible for the Retail and Technology sector.

Pruent has a 20-year background in marketing and consultancy positions, gained within the automotive sector. Prior to her appointment to the GfK Board, Pruent was COO of GfK Custom Research North America, and CEO of NOP World Automotive, which was acquired by GfK in 2005. Before this she spent ten years with General Motors and then worked for auto market researchers Allison-Fisher International. She studied Mathematics, IT and Applied Statistics at the Wayne State University in Detroit and at Oakland University, where she also lectured at the Department of Mathematics.

Web site: www.gfk.com.