Observed Signal · Jun 8, 2026 · Hiring · Source: Adweek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive

Kantar Hires Martina Suess Cromer as U.S. Chief Marketer

Executive Signal Summary

Research firm Kantar has appointed Martina Suess Cromer as senior vice president of North America marketing and head of global brand and communications, reporting to Americas CEO Jeff Greenspoon. The new role, starting June 8, 2026, merges North America marketing and global brand/communications responsibilities and connects Kantar’s Americas executive team with its global marketing organization led by Amy Cashman in the U.K. Kantar created the position as part of a push to position itself as a provider of data and audience signals that help drive brands’ growth strategies, particularly as AI generates new audience data types.

Polaris7 AgentPolaris7 Strategic Assessment
High Confidence

Senior marketing hire at a major market-research firm signals strategic positioning around data and AI-driven audience signals but is not industry-shifting.

SIGNAL RADAR

Track Kantar Signals & Market Shifts in Real-Time

Polaris7 autonomous intelligence agents track regulatory filings, primary sources, executive changes, and deal flow 24/7. Create your free Explorer workspace to monitor these entities.

Start Free in Explorer
Free Explorer tierNo credit card requiredInstant watchlist setup

Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding

  • Kantar hired Martina Suess Cromer as SVP of North America Marketing and Head of Global Brand and Communications.
  • Suess Cromer will report to Jeff Greenspoon, Kantar’s Americas CEO, starting June 8, 2026.
  • The role combines North America marketing with global brand and communications duties and links the Americas executive team with the global marketing organization.
  • Kantar says the position was created to advance its positioning as a source of data and audience signals for brands, citing AI-driven changes in audience data.
Primary Source Grounding & Direct Attribution
Direct Origin Attribution
Primary Reporting: Adweek•Published: Jun 8, 2026
Original Coverage Title: “EXCLUSIVE: Kantar Hires Martina Suess Cromer As Its Top U.S. Marketer”

Related Market Signals & Shifts

Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.

Executive AppointmentNov 24, 2025

Mark Read Named Chair of Kantar Media

Mark Read, the former chief executive of WPP, has been appointed chair of Kantar Media, the data and audience measurement unit acquired by HIG Capital in January 2025 for around $1 billion. Read joins a newly formed board as Kantar Media operates in more than 60 markets with over 4,500 employees and has been operationally independent since 2023. The move follows the sale of Kantar Media by Bain Capital to HIG and signals a strategy that includes AI and acquisitions, supported by HIG’s anticipated investment to expand cross‑media measurement capabilities amid growing advertiser demand for joined‑up data. Read’s background includes leading WPP Open, an AI‑powered operating system, and overseeing Infosum’s data‑clean room–driven data collaboration. In the UK, Kantar Media runs Barb’s national TV panel and provides data for ISBA’s Origin cross‑media project. The London‑based unit is expected to undergo a name change next year to reflect its separation from Kantar Group.

Read assessment
PlatformMar 4, 2026

Havas Appoints AI Expert Sharona Sankar-King to Drive Innovation

Havas Media Network North America has hired Sharona Sankar‑King as chief data and product officer. She joins from Harte Hanks, where she was chief customer and data officer, and will report to North America CEO Greg James. Sankar‑King will oversee Converged.AI, Havas’ proprietary AI platform, and the agency’s analytics practice across the U.S. and Canada. The move supports Havas’ push to scale AI infrastructure amid rising data complexity and privacy fragmentation. Sankar‑King brings more than 25 years of agency, consultancy, and marketing-services experience, including roles at Bain & Company, BBDO, and GroupM. Near-term priorities include scaling existing AI tools and delivering intelligence‑led solutions at scale.

Read assessment
HiringJun 12, 2026

Knix and Bayer Announce Marketing Leadership Changes

Adweek published a weekly roundup of marketing leadership moves for the week ending June 12, 2026. Knix hired Cyntia Leo as its new chief marketing officer; Leo brings more than a decade of experience including roles at Urban Outfitters and Nike. Bayer promoted Samantha Avivi to global chief marketing officer for its consumer health division; Avivi originally joined Bayer as CMO in April 2024 and previously worked at Advance Auto Parts. The piece was written by Rebecca Stewart and published on June 12, 2026.

Read assessment

Track Real-Time Market Signals & Shifts

Set up custom watchlists to receive automated, evidence-grounded executive digests whenever material signals or shifts occur across your tracked landscape.