Harris acquires Canvasse Opinion panel

UK— Harris Interactive has bought the Canvasse Opinion panel, previously operated by Experian, for an undisclosed amount.

Panel members were informed of the sale a fortnight ago and clients were told last week.

The online consumer research panel has around 200,000 members, who will be added to the multi-million member Harris Poll online panel.

The deal follows the departure of Paul Kavanagh, head of Canvasse Opinion, who left the company in June 2007 to set up the consultancy Beehive.

Kavanagh was never replaced but an Experian spokesman told Research that the sale and his departure were “completely unrelated”.

The spokesman said the decision to sell followed a review of operations where it was decided that the research panel “no longer had the strategic importance it once did”.

Author: James Verrinder

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Experian’s Canvasse Opinion boss departs