Broadcast Audience Research Council India (BARC), the industry’s television audience measurement body, announced Nakul Chopra as its new chief executive officer effective from 25 August 2021. Chopra succeeds Sunil Lulla, who is moving on from the organisation to pursue his ambition as an entrepreneur.
Chopra, who has been appointed as the incoming CEO, joined the BARC India Board in 2016 and was subsequently appointed the chairman of the company (2018-19). In January 2020, he was appointed a member of its Oversight Committee. Chopra has been an integral part of the Advertising and Media fraternity and served as the CEO, India and South Asia Publicis Worldwide, for over a decade. BARC will benefit from his wealth of knowledge and experience of over four decades.
Speaking on his appointment, Chopra said, “I have had the benefit of a long association with BARC. The organisation has grown in measure and strength. TV continues to be the definitive screen of the Indian home – its strong reach and connect continues to elicit the trust of advertisers. I look forward to working with the very capable BARC team in further building on TV measurement and continuing the journey toward screen agnostic measurement.”
While speaking about his future plans and thanking all at BARC, Lulla said, “After four decades of an exciting career in professional services, I now embark upon an entrepreneurial journey. I am privileged to have been able to contribute to BARC and this has been possible only because of the excellent team of professionals, a very supportive board and the gold standard of board-appointed committees. I wish Nakul Chopra, all the success”.
Thanking Lulla and welcoming Chopra, BARC India chairman Punit Goenka said, “I thank Sunil for his stewardship of BARC and his efforts to enhance the strength of the BARC currency. I am very happy to welcome Nakul as the natural and unanimous choice of the Board for the continuing journey of adding robustness to the BARC currency and strengthening the governance of the world’s largest television audience measurement body”.