NEW YORK — In an email sent Wednesday morning to Nielsen Audio Advisory Council members, EVP/Managing Director for Local Television and Audio Catherine Herkovic revealed that she will be retiring at the end of 2023.
What does this mean for the leadership of the Nielsen Audio Client Services arm of the audience measurement and consumer data company? It is being placed “in the very capable hands” of a New Jersey-based company veteran.
Rich Tunkel will be taking on the expanded role for Nielsen Audio. In confirming Tunkel will take on the duties, rising from SVP/Director of Sales. Herkovic called the longtime radio audience measurement professional “a great champion for our clients, and the Audio business at large.”
A 28-year Nielsen veteran who came over from Arbitron and has experience at Scarborough, Tunkel tells RBR+TVBR, “My entire career has been in audio and this is a great honor and a great responsibility that I really feel excited taking on because of the strong team we have at Nielsen Audio, including John Snyder, Laura Kutscher and Brendan Kane.”
Meanwhile, the Television Client Services duties will be assumed by Paul LeFort.
LeFort is also a former Arbitron executive who joined Nielsen in September 2003 as a Senior Account Executive. In September 2008 he rose to Manager of Strategy and Corporate Development and, in November 2011, to his current role of Director of Sales Development.
From 1992-2000, he was a Client Services AE at Arbitron.
