GMI's panels to merge with Lightspeed following Kantar buy
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UK— WPP’s research division Kantar has acquired online panel and survey technology provider GMI, with its panel operations becoming part of Lightspeed Research.
GMI was previously owned by venture capital and private equity firms. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
Kantar said in a statement today that GMI will be “aligned” with its existing panel business Lightspeed Research. The addition of GMI’s panels in 13 countries brings Lightspeed’s total to 38, covering more than four million panellists. Panel size in the largest markets will grow “significantly”, the companies said, and important markets including Brazil, Mexico, India and several Asian markets are added to Lightspeed’s footprint.
GMI was founded in 1999 and employs 230 people. It is based in Bellevue, Washington, with offices in the UK, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Singapore, China and Japan.
GMI brought in $64m of revenue last year and ended the year with gross assets worth $26m.
