Legal News and Views - Asia Pacific and Beyond

UK – Kantar Media has appointed Mike Walsh, chief executive, LexisNexis Legal & Professional, to its board of directors.

Here’s the blurb

Walsh has over 30 years of experience, including leading the development of LexisNexis from providing legal research to offering AI-led analytics, decision tools and workflow solutions.

Former WPP chief executive Mark Read was appointed chair of the board in November.

“As Kantar Media embarks on our own journey of transformation and AI, Mike’s experience at the forefront of delivering generative and agentic AI solutions that simplify and automate next level work for legal professionals will be invaluable to us,” said Patrick Béhar, chief executive, Kantar Media.

Kantar and Bain Capital sold Kantar Media to HIG Capital, with the deal concluding in August last year.

https://www.research-live.com/article/news/lexisnexis-ceo-to-join-kantar-media-board/id/5147093

 

https://www.kantarmedia.com/#

 

Google AI

Kantar Media is a global leader in audience measurement, targeting, and advertising intelligence, specializing in providing data-driven insights across all media platforms (TV, radio, digital, print, and social). As of August 2025, the company is owned by H.I.G. Capital.
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Core Business and Services
  • Audience Measurement: Kantar Media is renowned for providing “currency” data for TV and cross-media audience measurement, reporting on what people watch, listen to, and browse across various platforms.
  • Advertising Intelligence: The company tracks advertising expenditure and creative content across media, helping brands and agencies understand competitive strategies.
  • TGI (Target Group Index): They provide consumer profiling and targeting data to help marketers understand consumer behavior.
  • Technology & Data: They utilize advanced technology, including panel data, first-party data, and router meters (Focal Meter) to track content consumption.
Background and Evolution
  • Origin: Formed from the acquisition of TNS Media and KMR Group by the WPP Group in 2010.
  • Ownership Changes: While historically part of the Kantar Group (owned by WPP), Kantar Media began operating as an independent entity with its own governance in 2023. In August 2025, H.I.G. Capital completed the acquisition of Kantar Media.
  • Global Reach: The company operates in over 80 countries.
Key Developments
  • Project Origin: In collaboration with industry partners (including Google and Meta), Kantar Media is developing a cross-media audience measurement project, aimed at measuring ad exposure across platforms.
  • Product Evolution: They have focused heavily on integrating digital, social, and mobile tracking into their traditional TV measurement, addressing the shift towards on-demand content.
  • Rebranding and Divestments: In 2023, the North American advertising intelligence business rebranded to ‘Vivvix’ (which was later acquired by MediaRadar).
  • Leadership: As of early 2026, Lucy Bristowe is the Chief Executive Officer for UK and Western Europe.
Key Differentiators
  • Currency Provider: They serve as the official currency for TV ratings in numerous markets, including the Philippines.
  • Data Accuracy: They emphasize high-quality data through panels and AI-enabled, end-to-end data quality solutions.
  • Comprehensive Insights: They cover the entire media ecosystem, providing actionable insights for both content owners and advertisers.