GfK 'Considering Sale'

GfK may be considering putting itself up for sale, alongside other options, according to reports in German weekly magazine, WirtschaftsWoche.

The publication said Nielsen, IMS Health and WPP's Kantar were all 'interested' in the Nuremberg-based group, 'though none of the parties involved has lent any credence to the rumours as yet.

GfK has had a troubled month, with disappointing first-half results announced on August 5th, and the news of the departure of CEO Matthias Hartmann a week later, as a result of 'differing views' on the group's long-term direction, between himself and majority shareholder GfK Verein. Long-time Chairman Arno Mahlert is also leaving the company, to be replaced by Ralf Klein-Bölting (pictured). In March, news surfaced that GfK had commenced civil proceedings against former CEO Klaus Wübbenhorst, and former CFO, Christian Weller von Ahlefeld, to recover damages relating to tax irregularities in Turkey. However, it's not all been bad news for the group: 2015 results were actually an improvement on the previous year's, with a return to organic growth (up 1.1%), after a decline of 2.0% the previous year; and reported sales up 6.3% to EUR 1.54bn.

Web site: www.gfk.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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