David Rockland Ph.D.

Chairman, Ketchum Global Research and Analytics (KGRA)

Dr. David Rockland led Ketchum’s research, measurement, analytics and insights services. In mid-2017, he retired and took on the role of KGRA’s part-time Chairman. In addition, he was CEO of Ketchum Change, the firm’s change communications consulting enterprise. He managed approximately 160 people across the two business units in about 20 offices globally. He also formed Ketchum Interactive, now known as Ketchum Digital.

David was international Chair of AMEC for 2013-2014 after serving on the Board, and being inaugural chair of AMEC’s North American Chapter. He led the development and implementation of the first-ever industry standards for PR measurement in 2010, the Barcelona Principles which he also was responsible for updating in 2015. He was inducted into the PRNews Measurement Hall of Fame in April, 2012. He regularly lectures at various conferences and other events around the world about the Barcelona Principles and other aspects of communications measurement, and writes a monthly column on measurement for the Public Relations Society of America. He is an emeritus member of the IPR Commission on PR Measurement and Evaluation, and was its Chairman for 2007 and 2008.

Prior to joining Ketchum, David was Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Roper Starch Worldwide where he managed the company’s environmental and public relations practice areas. David previously owned his own firm, The Rockland Group, specialized in environmental issues management and marketing, which he sold to Roper Starch in 1998. He has also held the top corporate communications role at two large global corporations.

In addition to his current role as Chairman of KGRA, he and his wife, Sarah Dutton, have set up a small research and consulting company (www.rocklanddutton.com) near their farm on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Sarah retired from CBSNews in 2017 after leading the network’s polling and surveys department. The company works on a wide array of Ketchum and their own clients including UNICEF, Cattlemen’s Beef Board, AXIS Capital, The Holmes Report, Philips, National Mango Board, Cleveland Clinic, and the International Air Transport Association.

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