Kantar Buys GMI, Merges it with Lightspeed

Kantar has acquired research technology and panels firm GMI (Global Market Insite), which it will combine with own online panel specialist Lightspeed Research. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Founded in 1999, GMI offers consumer panels, survey technology and solutions. The firm employs 230 people in its HQ in Bellevue, WA and additional US offices in Boston and Los Angeles, as well as at its global operations in Den Bosch in the Netherlands, Hong Kong, London, Munich, Paris Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Vancouver.

For the year ended 31 December 2010, GMI's revenues were $64m, with gross assets at the same date of $26m.

Through the acquisition, Lightspeed Research will integrate GMI's panels in 13 countries, which bring its reach to more than four million online panelists across proprietary panels in 38 countries.

Lightspeed Research's President and Global CEO David Day, who has been named President and CEO of the combined business, comments: 'Uniting the assets of these two global leaders in the online panel market research industry strengthens our offer to clients. Our combined technology and market research expertise will put us in a strong position to address the significant growth and rapid change in our industry around the world.' GMI's CEO and President Michael Brochu says the firms 'will look to apply technology in new and innovative ways.'

Both the Lightspeed Research and GMI names will continue to be used. Web sites are at www.kantar.com , www.lightspeedresearch.com and www.gmi-mr.com .