For the nine month period leading up to the end of September 2012, the firm also reported a rise of 51% in revenue to €1.28bn.

EAME sales were €554m followed by the Americas at €507.3m and Asia Pacific at €216.2m.

Marketing research activities generated €640.7m in revenue, advertising research €210.1m, customer and employee relationship management research €168.3m; media, information and technology research €137.1m; and opinion and social research €121.3m. All business lines saw an increase in revenue compared to 2011, the firm said.

Looking ahead, the firm noted “encouraging signs” such as high levels of growth in China, but warned that southern Europe was in “severe recession” and “dragging down the entire continent”.

Ipsos said that it expects full year operating margin to be around 10%, which would be “significantly higher” than the combined margins of Synovate and Ipsos in 2011.

Pictured is Ipsos co-president Didier Truchot.