Nielsen Media’s Australian Managing Director Peter Cornelius has left the company. Cornelius’ departure comes as the American based research company continues to restructure its international operations. Nielsen Media is currently under contract to Commercial Radio Australia to provide Australia’s radio ratings, with a new contract scheduled to go to tender later this year.
Nielsen has been restructuring its international operations for the last year, with a range of redundancies taking place in Australia. Several of the company’s US based senior executives with responsibility for international territories also lost their jobs in the past 12 months.
In an email to contacts this week Peter Cornelius indicated the move was a surprise, saying:
“Some 40 years ago Robert F Kennedy said “like it or not we live in interesting times” and this statement seems incredibly prophetic in today’s rapidly changing business world. In this light I’d like to let you know that after nearly 10 years with Nielsen I will be leaving the company this Friday February 3.”
Explaining the restructure, Cornelius wrote:
“Nielsen is moving to an integrated one Nielsen client approach where the previous Watch (Media) and Buy divisions will come together. As a result, Chris Percy the current MD of Buy has been appointed to head-up the new combined entity across the Pacific (Australia and New Zealand).”
He thanked clients for their business and camaraderie over the years, saying: “As most people are aware I joined Nielsen after a long career on the agency side so to be able to observe media and marketing life from a different perspective has been a fascinating and rewarding experience. Most of all I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working across an enormously varied clientele and furthering personal relationships many of whom I have known for many years.”
Peter Cornelius intends to take a break, then will be “keen to explore new career opportunities in the media and marketing related world.”
Prior to his Nielsen appointment in 2002, he held the position of Managing Director and Chief Negotiating Officer of Zenith Media, Australia’s first independent global media agency. Peter worked with some of Australia’s largest advertisers; conducting senior level media negotiations for some of the biggest and most complex deals in the Industry. He has served on several key Industry bodies including terms as President of the Media Federation of Australia, Chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulations and on the Executive Board of the Circulations Audit Bureau.