LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ITWP Acquisitions Limited, the parent company of Toluna, a leading digital market research and technology company, today announces the acquisition of Harris Interactive SAS in France, Harris Interactive AG in Germany and Harris Interactive UK (Harris Interactive Europe) from Nielsen. Frédéric-Charles Petit is CEO of ITWP, and will oversee both Toluna, and Harris Interactive Europe. Petit is Toluna’s founder and CEO.
This acquisition expands ITWP’s existing footprint in the digital market research industry, as ITWP has been the sole shareholder of Toluna since 2011. Harris Interactive Europe blends sector expertise with award-winning research designs to deliver tailored solutions to clients seeking strategic input. Toluna operates the world’s largest global social voting community, and couples this global respondent access with transformative data collection, reporting and visualisation products.
Petit states, “Across Europe, Harris Interactive, is a well-respected provider of digital market research services with cutting-edge methodologies, and Toluna is revolutionising market research through a combination of world-class technology, innovative approaches and seamless real-time access to millions of consumers. Leaders in their own right, there are opportunities for both companies to enhance current offerings to clients. ITWP will continue to invest in the growth and success of both Toluna and Harris Interactive Europe, which will operate as separate entities servicing their own clients.”
Nielsen has owned Harris Interactive Europe since February 2014. As part of the purchase by ITWP, Nielsen will become a minority shareholder in ITWP, and has separately entered into a mutual strategic cooperation agreement encompassing access to Toluna global panel, as well as, its world-class technology.
“Nielsen is delighted to have found the right home for Harris Interactive Europe within our strategic partner, ITWP, which through Toluna, will give us the ability to collaborate on market research technologies as well as digital data,” says Itzhak Fisher – EVP of Global Business Development at Nielsen. “Nielsen, Harris Interactive and Toluna have been collaborators and customers of one another for many years and we look forward to our continued relationship.”
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About ITWP
ITWP Acquisitions Limited is a Verlinvest portfolio company and private investment firm that is the sole shareholder in companies including Toluna and Harris Interactive Europe. George Kynoch is the Non-Executive Chairman of ITWP. Frédéric-Charles Petit is ITWP CEO.
About Toluna
A pioneer in the dynamic world of market research, data collection, reporting and visualisation, Toluna brings together people and brands in the world’s largest social voting community. As a leading all-in-one global source for actionable insights, we help market researchers, insights professionals and companies anywhere in the world make clearer and better business decisions that drive better business results.
Our social voting community of more than six million members spans more than 41 countries, enabling our clients to develop a deeper understanding of anyone, anywhere, anytime they need it.
Toluna provides the industry’s leading survey technology suite, enabling hundreds of organisations worldwide to create online and mobile surveys, manage panels and build their own online communities. Toluna products include PanelPortal™ Online Communities and Toluna QuickSurveys™ and Toluna Analytics™.
With 17 offices in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, Toluna works with many of the world’s leading market research agencies, media agencies and corporations.
Harris Interactive Europe
Harris Interactive Europe (comprising Harris Interactive SAS in France, Harris Interactive AG in Germany, and Harris Interactive UK) is a full service, consultative custom market research agency. Working internationally from our offices, our activities span both business-to-business and consumer markets: specialising in; automotive; consumer packaged goods; energy; entertainment; financial services; healthcare; media; technology; telecoms; and travel.
We blend focused sector expertise with award winning research designs and innovative tools and approaches to deliver tailored solutions built on industry best practice. Our engagements range from tactical one-off projects to ongoing strategic tracking studies.
Harris Interactive Europe has in-house expertise covering all areas of research design, implementation, analysis, and reporting, with particular strengths in loyalty, brand and new product development.
For more information about Harris Interactive Europe, please visit: http://www.harrisinteractive.fr/, http://www.harrisinteractive.de/ or, www.harrisinterative.com/uk.
About Nielsen
Nielsen N.V. (NYSE: NLSN) is a global information and measurement company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence and mobile measurement. Nielsen has a presence in approximately 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA and Diemen, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.
