Pureprofile Buys Sydney Fieldwork Firm i-Link

In Sydney, Australia, data and insights company Pureprofile has announced an agreement to acquire the assets of online field and data collection company i-Link Research Solutions Pty Ltd, for around $AUD1.25m.

Pureprofile offers online research solutions for agencies and brands, and operates the Audience Builder platform which hosts panels for a number of global partners. The firm is based in Surry Hills, NSW, Australia, but now operates also in North America, Europe and APAC.

i-Link was established in 2001 and employs seventeen people located across Sydney, the Philippines, India and Malaysia. The firm has conducted more than one million interviews in the last twelve months. The assets acquired include the LiveTribe panel, the firm's technology platforms including proprietary software, and relationships with more than 50 clients.

Pureprofile says LiveTribe will greatly enhance its existing panel composition, adding 'diverse and richly representative audiences' and data from across the Australian population. The i-Link and LiveTribe brands will be retained 'for the foreseeable future'. The acquisition will be financed through cash reserves and is expected to complete next Monday, at which point i-Link's founders Chris Rowen and Scott Clark will be retiring from the business.

MD Martin Filz (pictured) says the buy 'marks a milestone' for Pureprofile as it 'builds on strong organic growth with the strategic addition of targeted assets and businesses'. He adds: 'Beyond the baseline opportunity to enhance the group's revenue and profitability, we are welcoming a skilled i-Link team, as well as significant data assets and long standing client relationships'.

Rowen and Clark said of the sale: 'Having spent the past two decades building i-Link into a true market leader in the Australian research landscape, we are excited to be passing the baton to Pureprofile. We're looking forward to seeing where they take the team over the coming years and to celebrating their ongoing success. It is clear to us that with Pureprofile's people-first approach and wonderful culture, the i-Link team will fit in perfectly'.

Web sites: www.pureprofile.com and www.i-linkresearch.com .