Respected Business Executive
To Lead Ipsos North American Organisation
Paris- New York, July 11, 2005 - Co-Chairmen Jean-Marc Lech and
Didier Truchot of Ipsos, the third largest global survey-based market research
company, today announced the appointment of James (Jim) T. Smith as Chairman
and CEO of Ipsos in North America. Smith replaces Simon Kooyman, who is
taking a sabbatical.
Lech and Truchot warmly thanked Kooyman for the work he accomplished in
the four and half years at Ipsos: "Under Simon's leadership, Ipsos
experienced a very exciting period of growth in North America. This included
heightened awareness of the Ipsos brand in North America, integration of
well-known companies into the Ipsos Group, an increase in the number of
Ipsos research specializations, and the creation of a solid common management
structure on which to build future growth."
Jim Smith has broad experience and an impressive background in management,
marketing and market research, with particular knowledge of the consumer
products sector, Lech and Truchot said. Most recently, Smith was Chairman
and CEO of Delve, a fast growing U.S. market research company headquartered
in St. Louis, MO. He began his career at Procter & Gamble where he spent
20 years in a number of U.S. and international assignments in Research &
Development, Marketing and General Management. He was General Manager for
Business Development for Health and Beauty Care (H&BC) for Europe, and
was later appointed President H&BC for Spain, Portugal and Germany.
In 1991, Smith was named President of the Gerber Baby Food Company with
responsibility for North and South America. In 1993, he was hired by ConAgra
to lead their Frozen Foods division, and was eventually promoted to Group
President for ConAgra Frozen Prepared Foods, then a $3 billion business.
From 2000 to 2002, Smith was Chairman and CEO of Aurora Foods Inc.
"Jim comes to us with the reputation for being a strong leader and
a hardworking manager. We are confident that, with the great potential and
the on-going commitment of our teams in North America, he will bring to
the company initiative, determination, and efficiency," Truchot said.
Added Smith: "I am very excited and pleased to be joining the Ipsos
organization. Ipsos is a highly dynamic company whose record of past achievement,
including in North America, is very noteworthy and impressive. There are
many exciting new opportunities on the horizon for North America, and I
am looking forward to partnering with our strong North American teams to
continue to grow our business and fully realize these opportunities."
Smith will also have a seat on the Ipsos Management Board's Executive Committee.
About Ipsos
With global revenues of 605.6 million euros in
2004, Ipsos is ranked third among survey-based
market research companies in the world. Thirty
five per cent of its revenues came from its North
American operations in 2004. Last July, for the
third year in a row Ipsos was cited as the fastest
growing market research firm in the U.S., according
to the 12th annual industry rankings report by
the influential newsletter, Inside Research.
Ipsos in North America
Ipsos is the fastest growing market research company in the U.S. for the
third consecutive year (source Inside Research), market leader in Canada,
and among the most trusted research brands in North America. With more than
1,300 professionals and support staff in the U.S. and Canada, Ipsos offers
a suite of survey-based services guided by industry experts and bolstered
by advanced analytics and methodologies in advertising and marketing research,
quality and customer relationship management, as well as public affairs
research.
Ipsos conducts polling on behalf of the Associated Press, the world's oldest
and largest news organization.
In 2004, Ipsos generated 605.6 million Euro ($752.8 million U.S.) in total
revenues, of which 35% came from its North American operations.
|
35 rue du Val de Marne
75628 Paris cedex 13
Tel. : + 33 1 41 98 90 00
Fax : + 33 1 41 98 90 50
|
Contacts : Catherine Roussiès,
Head of Ipsos Communications,
tel : +33 1 41 98 90 05, e.mail : Catherine.Roussies@ipsos.com
Dan Maceluch, Dan.maceluch@ipsos.com
Tel: +1 604 893 1635
|