23 September 2005
Haarlem, the Netherlands

VNU, a leading global information and media company, announced today that Tim Callahan, president of ACNielsen North America, is leaving the company as of October 3 to become CEO of the consumer group at Berwind, a family-owned investment management company.

VNU said the search for a successor to Callahan is underway, and that a new head of ACNielsen North America, responsible for the unit’s operations in the U.S. and Canada, will be announced shortly. In the interim, Steve Schmidt, president and CEO of ACNielsen and executive vice president of VNU Marketing Information, will assume direct accountability for ACNielsen’s U.S. business, while Pat Gardiner, president of ACNielsen Canada, will continue to oversee the Canadian business, reporting to Schmidt..
  

About VNU
VNU is a global information and media company with leading market positions and recognized brands in marketing information (ACNielsen), media measurement and information (Nielsen Media Research) and business information (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Computing, Intermediair).

VNU is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands and New York, USA. The company employs 38,000 people. Total revenues under IFRS amounted to EUR 3.3 billion in 2004. VNU is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam (ASE: VNU) stock exchange. For more information, please visit the VNU website at www.vnu.com.