Mitch Barns

Mitch Barns is an experienced S&P 500, public-company CEO and board director with more than 35 years of business experience. As a coach, he applies his expansive background to advise CEOs and their teams in becoming more effective leaders. 

He is a forward-thinker who can see what’s around the corner, anticipate opportunities, and capitalize on them. He approaches business challenges with a global perspective, informed by having lived and worked in the US, Europe, and Asia (China). An open and inclusive leader, Mitch inspires collaboration among all of his stakeholders to drive execution and success. 

Mitch is a member of the advisory board of Growth Catalyst Partners PE and serves on the boards of Kynetec (kynetec.com), QualSights (qualsights.com), Consumer Edge (consumer-edge.com), and The Opus Group (theopusgroup.com), where he also served as CEO from 2021-2024 as the business rebounded from the pandemic.  

During his corporate career, Mitch was CEO of Nielsen, a $6B S&P 500 information technology company with 45,000 employees, operating in 106 countries. As CEO, he reshaped the portfolio through 26 acquisitions enabling growth and adding digital and tech talent.  The company was subsequently recognized as one of the “World’s Most Innovative Companies” by Forbes; one of the “Best Run Companies of 2018” by the Wall Street Journal; one of the “Top 40 Companies for Leaders” by Chief Executive magazine; a “Top 50” company for diversity and inclusion by DiversityInc magazine; and a “JUST 100” company by JUST Capital.  

In earlier roles at Nielsen, Mitch was President of their media business and key businesses in China and Europe. He began his career at Procter & Gamble in marketing research and brand management. 

In his personal life as well as on the job, Mitch has always strived to be a “best-in-class” leader. In coaching CEOs, Mitch leverages this experience to support today’s executives in driving the critical strategies that keep their companies competitive and financially sound in a rapidly changing global business environment.