Barb names Caroline Baxter next CEO
Barb has appointed Caroline Baxter as the TV measurement service’s next CEO.
Baxter succeeds Justin Sampson, who announced last November his intention to step down as CEO in 2026 after nearly 14 years in the role. The Media Leader understands Sampson will formally exit the organisation in September.
Baxter joined Barb in 2022 after 27 years at Kantar. Initially a director, she was promoted to chief operating officer in 2024.
While at Barb, Baxter has played a leading role in delivering the joint industry currency (JIC) innovation programme, which aims to align industry demands with new research and data capabilities and partners.
For instance, earlier this month, Barb integrated pre-campaign planning functionalities into the Barb Ads Hub, the organisation’s new analytics system for full-cycle ad campaign planning and reporting.
The need to innovate arises as JICs come under pressure to remain relevant in an era when advertisers are increasingly moving budgets to walled gardens. As presented at the Future of TV Advertising Global event last December, Warc has estimated that just half of TV spend will be Barb-traded by 2027.
“Joint-industry measurement only works if everyone around the table trusts it,” Baxter said of her appointment. “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.”
Barb’s current strategic priorities include expanding the use of device data, maintaining a high-quality measurement panel, modernising data distribution, and expanding reporting on what people watch.
That had included expanding its reporting on YouTube to cover individual YouTube channels, but the JIC ran into a snag this January when Google handed Barb a cease-and-desist letter over the effort.
Barb also remains in discussion to collaborate on cross-media measurement effort Origin.
Barb chair Nigel Sharrocks, speaking on behalf of the organisation’s directors, said: “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.”
He continued: “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.”
