Vice chair Susan Whiting handed Nielsen diversity task

Nielsen CEO David Calhoun said: “Understanding and promoting diversity is critical to our business because it enables us to better meet the needs of our clients.

“Susan has demonstrated meaningful leadership in making diversity a business priority and her leadership of these efforts within the office of the CEO will allow us to asses and direct our efforts from the highest level of our company.”

Whiting added: “Increasing our diversity will improve the performance of The Nielsen Company across the board, with clients, associates, local communities, shareholders and public officials.”

Nielsen has in the past attracted criticism from ethnic minority groups, specifically being accused of undercounting black and Hispanic households in its local people meter TV audience measurement samples.