SSI Buys MRops

Sampling, data collection and analytics firm SSI has agreed to purchase the majority of the assets of MRops, which supplies end-to-end research operations services to research agencies and consultancies.

SSI, which already has 3,600 employees in 30 offices across 21 countries, offers sample, data collection, CATI, questionnaire design consultation, programming and hosting, online custom reporting and data processing.

MRops was founded just eight years ago, has around 200 staff and specializes in b2b research, executive interviewing, statistical services and sampling solutions. Its offices in North America, Asia and Europe will strengthen SSI's global footprint, in particular in Asia Pacific, with the addition of an operations hub in Hyderabad, India. In addition, SSI says the deal will significantly expand its operational and delivery capability, 'substantially adding to an already fast-growth global B2B business and deepening its expertise in management consulting and healthcare'.

MRops CEO Ian Kiernan will join the SSI Global Executive Team as SVP, Global Operations, reporting to SSI President and CEO Chris Fanning.

SSI itself (Survey Sampling International) changed owners in the autumn, with Palo Alto, California-based private equity firm HGGC taking over as the majority holder of its parent company. The company was previously owned by two other investors, who retain minority stakes.

Fanning says that following the latest deal the team expects 'a very rapid and smooth integration of MRops into SSI', and adds: 'Ian and the MRops team have built an outstanding business, especially in the B2B space, which is very synergistic with SSI's rapidly expanding B2B offering. MRops' passionate focus on the consulting and healthcare markets is also very well aligned with our strategic direction.' The deal is expected to close in first quarter of 2015.

Kiernan says the integrated company will be 'a very attractive value proposition to customers worldwide', combining MRops' full service expertise with SSI's panel size, global scope and integrated technology platform. He comments: 'We've built the teams and processes to support very complex work - from targeting hard to reach audiences, to validating survey quality and completions, to developing respondent engagement solutions - and our consulting and healthcare clientele will be much better served with this powerful combination.'

Web site: www.surveysampling.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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