IIT Kanpur alum is new Chief Diversity Officer of ratings company Nielsen

Dr. D. Sangeeta has a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

By Deepak Chitnis

WASHINGTON, DC: Dr. D. Sangeeta is the new Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) of the ratings company Nielsen Holdings N.V.

Nielsen, a publicly traded company based in New York City, is one of the “leading global providers of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy.” The company is perhaps best known for its Nielsen ratings, which track how many people tune in to watch television programs and dictate how much a network can charge for ads during various time slots.

As the head of the company’s diversity interests, Sangeeta will also helm Nielsen’s Diversity Council and employee resource groups. Additionally, she will continue to lead Nielsen’s Global Measurement Science organization, a post she’s held since 2012, which oversees “methodological innovation and preservation and strengthening data integrity.”

In her new position as CDO, Sangeeta will report directly to Nielsen’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mitch Barns. In a press statement, Barns expressed his approval of Sangeeta and his eagerness to work with her in a greater capacity.

“As a leader in our organization, Sangeeta has been essential in cultivating this culture of inclusion, and I am thrilled she will be leading our diversity efforts globally,” said Barns. “Diversity and inclusion are key to Nielsen’s success. Our ability to provide clients with insights around consumer behavior worldwide [is] a critical business imperative and an integral part of our ability to innovate, grow, and succeed.”

Sangeeta holds a master’s degree in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Kanpur, and a Ph.D. in materials chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She worked for General Electric (GE) for over 18 years, receiving 26 patents for her work and taking on leadership roles in global operations, risk management, marketing, acquisitions, business process improvement, and research.

She joined Nielsen in 2008, where she has several senior-level positions, such as Client Service Executive for Global Business Services, North America Buy and Chief Business Process Improvement Officer.