Griffiths (pictured) was previously chief operating officer and chief financial officer at ITV, where he spent 10 years. Prior to that, he was group finance director at Emap.

He takes up the role on 16th January. Bowtell, who has held the CFO position since 2001, will remain with Kantar for a transition period until the end of June 2020.

WPP recently completed its sale of 60% of Kantar to private equity firm Bain Capital. The appointment also follows chief executive Eric Salama’s announcement last month that he would be stepping down from the role in 2020, citing “personal priorities”.

Commenting on the appointment, Salama said: “Ian brings with him a wealth of experience in the media industry. His track record in dealing with public markets and delivering strong returns for shareholders, both as CFO and COO, will be important to Kantar as we embark on the next stage of our growth journey.”

He added: “I want to thank Robert for all he has done for Kantar in his 18 years as CFO and for his collaborative approach, during which time Kantar doubled in size through organic growth and acquisition. He was a driving force in the sale of Kantar to Bain Capital and the subsequent transition from WPP to allow us to operate on a standalone basis. His legacy in the company will be long-lasting.”