Barb strengthens leadership team as Caroline Davey becomes Chief Executive
June 29, 2026 00.01 Europe/London By Julian Clover


Audience measurement body Barb has announced a series of senior leadership appointments as Caroline Davey officially takes over as Chief Executive.

Davey, who joined Barb in 2022 and became Chief Operating Officer in 2024, succeeds Justin Sampson after being appointed to the role in March. She will lead the organisation’s strategy to evolve audience measurement across linear television, streaming services and video-sharing platforms.

The leadership changes include the promotion of Khaled El Serafy to Director of Data and Technology and Luca Vannini to Director of Partnerships and Communications.

El Serafy, who joined Barb in 2023 as Head of Data Science, has overseen the development of the cloud-based Barb Data Hub, launched in late 2025, and continues to lead work on Barb Panel Plus, which combines large-scale datasets with Barb’s audience panel.

Vannini, previously Head of Campaign Audiences, led the launch of Barb Ads Hub earlier this year, providing advertisers with cross-platform campaign measurement and optimisation. In his new role, he will oversee stakeholder partnerships and external communications.

Sara Cheeseman remains Finance Director, while Barb has begun recruiting a Head of Strategic Developments to help deliver its innovation programme over the next two years.

Outgoing Chief Executive Justin Sampson will remain with the organisation as a consultant from September, leading work on Barb’s public-interest communications strategy and promoting the value of independent audience measurement.

Caroline Davey said the appointments would help Barb maintain momentum as it continues to modernise audience measurement. The organisation’s priorities include making greater use of device data, maintaining its audience panel, expanding campaign measurement through Barb Ads Hub, modernising data distribution and extending reporting across all forms of video content.

Barb also said it will continue working with ISBA and other joint industry bodies to improve cross-platform audience measurement for advertisers.