UK audience-measurement service Barb elevates Caroline Baxter to CEO

Caroline Baxter has been promoted to the role of CEO at UK audience-measurement organisation the Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (Barb).

Caroline Baxter

She has been upped from her previous position of chief operating officer, having joined the company in 2022.

Baxter has played a leading role in delivering an innovation programme that aligns industry needs with the capabilities of research and data partners.

Barb says the promotion comes as the company is “on the verge of another wave of innovation” designed to ensure the measurement and reporting of audiences to linear, streaming and video-sharing services is fit for the future.

The organisation’s current strategic priorities include extending the use of device data; maintaining a high-quality panel; full-cycle campaign optimisation for linear and streaming services through Barb Ads Hub; modernising data distribution and extending reporting of the content people watch.

Nigel Sharrocks, chair of Barb, said: “Joint-industry audience measurement provides critical evidence that supports a healthy media market. Never has it been so important for advertisers, media agencies, TV companies and regulators to have an independent source of truth that delivers comparable evidence for all players in the market.

“We’re thrilled Caroline is taking responsibility for building on the firm foundations we have in place. Her appointment testifies to the qualities of the Barb team and its ability to help the industry navigate its way forward.”

Baxter said: “Joint-industry measurement only works if everyone around the table trusts it. My priority is to make sure Barb continues to earn that trust – by staying independent, staying rigorous and staying true to what the industry needs. Having had a front-row seat to Barb’s transformation over the past few years, I know better than most what we’re capable of and relish the opportunity to take the game on.”