Heading up TNS' diverse team based across North and South America, Mr Perry's role will focus on driving the growth of TNS' payments business by exploring new market opportunities and developing the company's global customer base.

Prior to joining TNS, Mr Perry was Executive Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing at Ruesch International. He brings more than 20 years experience in the financial services and payments industries to TNS and has also spent time in executive positions at First Data, Elavon, Visa and Wells Fargo.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Perry said: "I am excited about joining TNS and eager to dig into my new assignment. TNS has many opportunities to meet the current and emerging connectivity needs of our customers and partners, and it is more important than ever to position ourselves to deliver reliable, secure, innovative solutions to harness these. I look forward to helping our customers achieve business excellence through TNS' efficient products and services that help them to maximize profitability in the current challenging economic climate.

"Now is an exciting time in the payments industry. The technology available to businesses of all sizes continues to evolve, as do the myriad payment types demanded by both merchants and consumers. It is our objective to ensure that we continue to meet these requirements with best in class products, supported by a wide range of value-added services."

Mr Perry will split his time between his base in Atlanta, where many of TNS' key customers are located, and the organization's headquarters in Reston, Virginia.

Ray Low, President of TNS' Payments division, said: "I am very pleased that John is joining the TNS team. John is well respected throughout the payments industry and has a wealth of experience, which will be vital as we look to further strengthen our business across the Americas. He is a great fit for TNS and I look forward to introducing him to our customers."

Mr Perry holds a Bachelors degree in engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School.