[nergie]

Nielsen picks Chicago as HQ for its consumer unit
After 36 years, the market research company will return to where it was founded by A.C. Nielsen.


JOHN PLETZ
Technology and airlines
TWEET
SHARE
MORE

David Rawlinson
Nielsen is coming home to Chicago.

The company’s consumer market research unit is moving its headquarters from New York to Chicago on Jan. 1. Nielsen Holdings, which was founded in Chicago in 1923, decided late last year to spin off the consumer-shopping unit from its better-known business of tracking media consumption.

With about 600 people at 200 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago has the largest office of the consumer-shopping business. The headquarters move is expected to bring about 50 jobs over the next two years.

“We looked at New York and a couple cities in Europe,” said CEO David Rawlinson. “The decision was based on a number of things. There’s the heritage, which I really like. Chicago’s a really good place to have a corporate headquarters. A lot of our clients have headquarters in Chicago. We were encouraged by the development of the Chicago technology scene. It’s a commercial hub. It has a nice balance.”