O’Laughlin new Global Head of Tax for VNU

Currently vice president of U.S. Tax for VNU, O’Laughlin succeeds Bart Kuper, who is leaving VNU to become Group Tax Director at TNT N.V., the global mail and express delivery services company, headquartered in the Netherlands.

O’Laughlin, who will continue to be based in New York, will be responsible for all corporate tax matters, including U.S. and international tax planning, as well as oversight of the income tax provision. In his new role, O’Laughlin will report directly to Rob Ruijter, chief financial officer of VNU.

In a related move, VNU also announced that Marcel W. A. Kerff, vice president – International Tax, currently based in New York, will be named vice president – European Tax, responsible for all European and Dutch tax matters. Kerff, who has been with VNU since 2000, will return to VNU’s Haarlem office to ensure that VNU continues to maintain a strong tax function in the Netherlands, where the company is legally domiciled. He will report to O’Laughlin.

O’Laughlin joined VNU in 2002 as vice president of International Tax Planning, and was appointed vice president of U.S. Tax in 2005. Prior to joining VNU, O’Laughlin was with the accounting firm of Arthur Andersen L.L.P. in New York, in the firm’s international tax department. Earlier, he was manager of international tax planning for UCAR International Inc., a global manufacturer of graphite and carbon products based in Nashville, Tennessee.

O’Laughlin earned a master’s degree in taxation from the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, where he also received his undergraduate degree in business administration.