SSI Names Leadership Team as Acquisition Completes

Survey Sampling International (SSI) and Opinionology have received regulatory approval to merge under the SSI brand. The firm will be led by SSI's Kees de Jong, who will continue his role as CEO, while Opinionology's CEO David Haynes will serve as President and COO.

Terms of the merger, announced last month, have not been disclosed.

The new firm will aim to deliver a sampling solution to support every phase of the survey research process, with online, landline telephone, wireless/mobile device and mixed access offerings. It will have 1300 employees based in 30 offices around the world, staff fluent in 36 languages and respondents from 72 countries.

Speaking about the merger, de Jong commented: 'By joining forces, we are creating a completely new kind of partner for market researchers - one that is uniquely able to meet their needs in a radically changing world. For example, we can integrate wireless sample to reach the exploding number of cell-only homes; broaden and diversify sources to capture the soaring number of social networkers and online community members; and even optimize surveys for mobile platforms, to access today's on-the-go participants.'

In addition to de Jong and Haynes, the new senior leadership team includes Charles Gottdiener of SSI's majority shareholder Providence Equity Partners, who will serve as Chairman of the Board.

Current Chairman Simon Chadwick will remain as a Board member and continue to play an active role guiding the new company.

Web site: www.surveysampling.com .