Synovate expands across Africa with Steadman buy

KENYA— Synovate has bought Africa’s Steadman Group, in an acquisition that it claims makes it the largest research group on the continent.

Nairobi-based Steadman, the largest independent research agency in Africa, specialises in custom research and media monitoring. Albert McLean, Synovate’s CEO for Africa, said that Steadman’s strength in central African countries fills the gaps in Synovate’s existing coverage, which was largely in the southern and northern states.

He told Research: “In the past we had to find suppliers in those countries, and Steadman was one of them. That’s why we were interested in them, because we were working with them more and more. Now they’re completing the picture for us. Now we have a fantastic footprint in 11 countries in Africa, and we’re expanding that.”

McLean said that solutions from Synovate’s South African operation will be taken up by Steadman to enhance its offer, while elements of Steadman’s media research offering will be brought south.

“Their solutions have been tailor-made for Africa – they work,” said McLean. “You’re not bringing first-world solutions and trying to apply them to a developing market. It’s local knowledge, they know how to deal with many dialects, they know what works.”

The Steadman buy adds Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Ghana and Mozambique to Synovate’s portfolio of offices in South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Ivory Coast.

McLean said Synovate would be looking to profit from growth in Africa’s FMCG and telecoms sectors, which is being boosted by investment from India and China, as well as continuing its geographical expansion across the continent.

Author: Robert Bain

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