Now Kantar is eyeing up Adam Crozier for chairman role

Former adman Adam Crozier, who already chairs Asos and Whitbread, is being tipped as the new chairman of Kantar, the data and insight consultancy which was recently spun out of WPP in a deal which valued the business at $4bn (£3bn).

According to a report in The Sunday Times, Crozier already has links with the new majority new owner – private equity firm Bain – having acted as an advisor on the deal which saw the company snap up 60% of the data business in December last year.

Crozier started his career at Pedigree Petfoods in the Eighties before a 12-year stint Saatchi & Saatchi. While at the agency, he not only became its youngest ever board director, he was also credited with holding the business together through the split with founders Maurice and Charles, who went on to form M&C.

By 2000, Crozier had been appointed to blow the cobwebs out of the FA and then did the same at Royal Mail. In 2010, he became the CEO of ITV but stepped down in 2018.

If he does take the Kantar job, Crozier will be reunited with former ITV finance director Ian Griffiths, who was among a trio of senior executives who joined the firm last week.

At the time, Kantar chief executive Eric Salama said Griffiths’ track record in public markets and “delivering strong returns for shareholders” would be vital as Kantar embarked on its “growth journey”.

Salama is due to step down this year but will remain in place until a successor is appointed. He will then join the Kantar board as a non-executive director on a part-time basis to continue to advise clients and mentor key employees.

Kantar declined to comment on Crozier’s appointment.