United Kingdom – Global market research company Kantar Group has announced that it has plans to sell its media measurement arm Kantar Media to global alternative investment firm H.I.G. Capital.
The transaction’s purchase price of approximately $1b is anticipated to be primarily paid in cash, along with certain non-cash consideration, including separation-related investments by H.I.G. Capital, and an earn-out.
The contemplated deal will mark a new chapter for Kantar Media as it embarks on a new phase of growth and innovation, with a renewed focus on delivering cutting-edge insights to clients across the content and advertising landscapes.
The proposed acquisition by H.I.G. Capital comes at a pivotal moment for Kantar Media. The company, which operates in over 60 markets, is positioned to shape the measurement ecosystem with a broad portfolio of solutions that spans audience measurement and data analytics as well as media planning and validation.
Patrick Béhar, who will continue to lead the business as Kantar Media CEO, said, “Over a year ago, I joined Kantar Media from Sky to accelerate the transformation of Kantar Media into an agile, technology-centric company, shaping the measurement industry through advanced cross-media solutions. This transaction would give us the resources and support to further accelerate our growth trajectory and strengthen our position as the global leader in media measurement and analytics.”
He added, “With H.I.G.’s expertise in scaling businesses and driving performance, we are more confident than ever in our ability to deliver innovative, data-driven solutions that meet the evolving needs of our growing client base all over the globe. Today is a fantastic moment for Kantar Media, its teams, its partners and its customers as we embark with H.I.G onto the next stage of our transformation.”
Meanwhile, Chris Jansen, chief executive at Kantar, added, “We set up Kantar Media to be operationally independent in 2023, to allow it to consolidate its global leadership position in audience measurement. Today’s proposed partnership announcement with H.I.G. Capital positions Kantar Media to continue its investments in technological and geographical leadership and we wish Patrick and his team the very best for the future.”
He added, “Following the proposed sale, Kantar will be even more focused on helping both global and local brands to grow through a unique combination of IP, data assets, and increasing the rapid deployment of AI. Kantar remains the world’s leading data and marketing analytics company.”
Lastly, Nishant Nayyar, managing director at H.I.G Capital stated, “Kantar Media has a long-standing reputation for delivering essential data and trusted insights to the global media industry. We are confident that as an independent business under the leadership of Patrick, the company will continue to thrive and lead the way in media measurement and analytics innovation.”
