Marquis, the chairman of ZenithOptimedia, will take on the part-time position alongside his ZenithOpti-media job and some non-executive commitments. The appointment is subject to approval by the NRS board at an upcoming meeting.
Although the chairman's role is part-time, it is seen as a functionally important post, rather than just an honorary position.
The previous NRS chairman was Ian Pay, who was in the role for more than three years. Ray Morgan was the chairman before Pay.
The NRS, which publishes regular research into newspaper and magazine readership trends, is said to be looking to boost industry awareness and improve its image among advertisers and agencies.
Marquis previously served as the chief executive of Zenith Media but moved to the chairman's role when it merged with Optimedia.
