• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, August 21, 2012

John Ross, the retail expert who founded Mediabrands’ Shopper Sciences practice two years ago, has left the agency to become executive vice president of data management at transactions processing company Inmar, as well as president of a new division, Inmar Promotions and Insights. The new unit will focus on data analytics involving shopper behavior and consumer promotions.

Ross began his new role with Inmar this week. He reports directly to parent company CEO L. David Mounts.

Mounts stated that Ross is well-suited to lead the company’s new operation.  “As a former big-box retail CMO and CEO of Shopper Sciences, he brings a unique combination of marketing, retail and analytics expertise that can leverage Inmar’s technology platforms.”

Before joining Mediabrands parent Interpublic in 2009 to run its Media Lab, Ross was CMO at The Home Depot.

It was not clear who would replace Ross at Shopper Sciences, a role that may be evolving. Mediabrands is said to be working on a reorganization that would roll Shopper Sciences, Momentum and other retail-focused operations into a single entity. Mediabrands declined to comment.

Mediabrands and Momentum have worked closely together over the past year. Last fall, the two companies partnered to establish a retail marketing practice in Japan, based at the Tokyo offices of Momentum. Momentum itself has been busy on the acquisition front. Several weeks ago, it acquired ChaseDesign and its subsidiary 10Red Design, which provide shopper-focused design services to various Fortune 100 clients in the consumer packaged-goods sector.

Shortly before leaving Shopper Sciences, Ross indicated in a memo to clients that he would continue to have a working relationship with IPG. “I will be working with IPG to connect their shopper data and Inmar's customer data together in new ways, building new tools, and new capabilities to understand and influence shopper behavior.”

As for his new role, Ross stated: “Inmar is committed to building intelligent commerce networks." He said the goal is to create "a win for the brands, the retailers and the shoppers themselves.”

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