The agreement to buy Kantar Media was struck in January this year, after an offer was submitted at the end of 2024, with HIG advised on the purchase by Morgan Stanley & Co. International, ING, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.

Kantar Media is headquartered in London and operates in more than 60 markets worldwide, focusing on media measurement and analytics, audience behaviour, advertising effectiveness and media consumption patterns.

Kantar Media has been operationally independent from the rest of Kantar since 2023.

Patrick Béhar (pictured), chief executive at Kantar Media, who is remaining in post following the company’s sale, said: “With the transaction now complete, we are delighted to officially be part of the HIG family.

“I would like to extend my thanks to HIG for their confidence in our vision and the significant investment in our future.”

Nishant Nayyar, managing director at HIG, said: “With an evolving suite of data solutions and proprietary measurement capabilities, we believe the company is well-positioned under Patrick’s leadership to thrive as an independent organisation and accelerate its growth as a market leader in media measurement and advanced analytics.”

Markus Noe-Nordberg, managing director and head of HIG Europe Middle Market Private Equity, added: “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to invest in Kantar Media, a business at the forefront of audience measurement and analytics. HIG’s experience scaling businesses and executing corporate carve-outs positions us well to support Kantar Media’s transition as an independent company.”