Informa Buys BI Specialist Zephyr Associates

London-based business information and events group Informa has acquired Zephyr Associates, a US Business Intelligence solutions provider, for $62m (£38.6m) in cash.

Founded in 1994, Zephyr offers analytical tools to help investment and wealth management professionals make decisions about investment products and portfolio construction. Its services - StyleADVISOR, AllocationADVISOR, and Zephyr OnDEMAND - have been developed to evaluate the value of investment strategies and automate the reporting and distributing of investment analysis.

Informa - which owns market intelligence firm Datamonitor - says its latest acquisition is 'highly complementary' to the products offered by subsidiary Informa Investment Solutions, and that the combined offering is expected to lead to good growth opportunities.

Peter Rigby (pictured), CEO of Informa, said: 'The acquisition of Zephyr is perfectly aligned with Informa's strategy to focus on high quality, digital subscription revenues attracting strong renewal rates and attractive cash dynamics. It is a great fit with our existing business in this area and will enhance our leading market position, ensuring a healthy return on investment.'

Web sites: www.informa.com and www.styleadvisor.com .