Nielsen Names Akhil Parekh Chief Solution Officer of Digital Product

Akhil Parekh Nielsen
Akhil Parekh (Image credit: Nielsen)

Nielsen said it has named Akhil Parekh as chief solutions officer of digital product, a new role at the audience measurement company.

Parekh was previously executive VP, managing director at ad agency Publicis Groupe, where he was responsible for building a media platform for agency planners and buyers.

At Nielsen, he will focus on building and improving the company’s planning and ad products as the ad business pivots from traditional TV to digital media.

Parekh will work with chief product officer for audience measurement Deirdre Thomas, who will continue to lead product strategy for Nielsen’s ratings and reporting units.

“As we continue to evolve with the industry and focus our efforts on streaming and our convergent TV strategy, we must continue to make strategic investments in innovation,“ Nielsen CEO Karthik Rao said. “Akhil will play a critical role in helping develop the products and strategies our clients need to succeed in the advertising ecosystem. I’m so excited for our future and feel confident that the new additions to our team will help us achieve our vision.”

Before joining Publicis, Parekh was senior VP, product management, converged TV at Mediaocean. He also held posts at 4C Insights, Rovi and Amp’d Mobile.

“Nielsen has persisted as the leader in the audience measurement in the advertising ecosystem, and it’s an honor to continue the innovation that will unlock future growth for the business in the digital space,” Parekh said. 

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.