TNS Gallup Lithuania Closes, Employees Form New Firm

TNS Gallup shareholders have decided to liquidate the company in Lithuania following 'very poor' financial results. Its former employees have already launched a new market research firm, with a focus on economic, demographic and social changes in Lithuanian society.

This year, TNS Gallup's turnover in the country fell by 35% to 8m Lituanian litas (LTL), equivalent to around £2.05m. The result was a 1m LTL loss, comparing with profit of 970.4k LTL last year and 1.8m LTL in 2007. As a result, TNS Gallup shareholders have decided to close the firm's operations and appoint a liquidator.

Under the leadership of sociologist and former TNS Gallup Quantitative Research Manager Jurgita Verikienė, the new firm, the Social Information Center (SIC), will offer quantitative and qualitative research, as well as several proprietary research models.

Around 30 former TNS Gallup colleagues will join the new agency.

'We talked with colleagues, and we decided that we want to continue to operate and can do so without an international brand,' explained Verikienė. 'Our new team has accumulated 16 years' experience in sociological and market research and offers data reliability and practical applications to address client marketing issues.'

TNS Gallup, which was the first firm to implement TV meter technology in Lithuania, will continue to operate the country's media audience research through SIC Gallup Media, headed by Media Director Gytis Juodpusis.

Web site: www.tnsglobal.com and www.sic.lt .