Market Force will combine Ted Costas with theatre checking company Certified Reports, which it acquired two years ago to form a new division – Market Force Theatre and Production Services.

The firm said that the formation of the new division meant it could offer film studios and cinemas a full range of theatre checking and film print checking (the process of making sure that a soundtrack is in sync with the picture).

CEO Karl Maier said: “Market Force provides the business intelligence our clients need to delight their customers, and nowhere is that focus on delight more central to a company strategy than in the entertainment industry. We have our eyes on becoming the premier provider of customer intelligence solutions in this industry. The expertise of Ted Costas and his team will bolster our existing theatre checking capabilities to help us do just that.”

Commenting on the sale of his business, Ted Costas said: “The industry is going through a major transformation right now and there is huge potential for growth. We wanted both the business and technology foundation to make those growth plans a reality.”