Leadership

David L. Calhoun is Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer of The Nielsen Company (formerly VNU Group B.V.) He was appointed to this role in August 2006 and is based in Connecticut.

Prior to joining Nielsen, Dave served as Vice Chairman of General Electric Company and President & Chief Executive Officer, GE Infrastructure. Before that, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Aircraft Engines; President and Chief Executive Officer of Employers Reinsurance Corporation; President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Lighting; President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Transportation Systems; and Chief Executive Officer of GE Transportation.

Dave graduated from Virginia Tech in 1979. Joining GE upon graduation, he completed the GE Financial Management Program, and in 1981 joined the GE Corporate Audit Staff. He held positions of increasing responsibility, and in 1986 was named Manager of Programs and Planning for the GE Corporate Audit Staff.

After managing GE Capital marketing programs for leveraged buyouts, Dave was appointed staff executive at the GE Corporate executive office in 1989, and later that year moved to GE Plastics, where he was named Manager of Marketing for the Americas.

Dave was subsequently named Vice President of GE Corporate Audit Staff and was elected an officer of General Electric Company. In 1994, he rejoined GE Plastics, as President of the Pacific region.

Appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Transportation Systems in August 1995, Dave was then named President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Lighting in 1997. In 1999 he was named President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Employers Reinsurance Company. Dave joined GE Aircraft Engines in July 2000 and was named President and Chief Executive Officer in December 2000. In December 2003 he was named President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Transportation. He was appointed GE Vice Chairman and President and CEO of GE Infrastructure, the largest of six GE business units, in July 2005.