Millward Brown Buys InsightExpress

US-based online research and analytics firm InsightExpress has been acquired by WPP's brand, media and comms research specialist Millward Brown. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Stamford, CT, InsightExpress was founded in 1999 as an affiliate of NFO WorldGroup (now part of WPP's TNS), and more recently has been majority-owned by investment firm General Atlantic LLC. The firm, whose unaudited revenues for the calendar year 2013 were $26.4m, employs around 100 staff and also has offices in San Francisco, New York and Chicago. It has been jointly led by co-CEOs Drew Lipner and Marc Ryan since 2013.

InsightExpress will be combined with path-to-purchase intelligence specialist Millward Brown Digital, led by Stephen DiMarco who was previously the division's Chief Client Officer and CMO. Lipner and Ryan will join the Millward Brown Digital leadership team as Chief Client Officer and Chief Research & Development Officer respectively.

Commenting on the acquisition, DiMarco said: 'With the formation of Millward Brown Digital last year, clients benefited from more holistic insight into media and its impact on consumers' path-to-purchase. With the addition of InsightExpress, we are taking another step in helping marketers 'get digital right' by providing faster, more granular analysis of cross-platform advertising effectiveness. We are delighted to welcome Marc, Drew and their team to Millward Brown.'

Millward Brown, whose 2013 revenues exceeded $1 billion, is part of Kantar, WPP's data investment management division, which collectively generates revenues of about $5 billion and employs more than 34,000 people. Web sites: www.wpp.com , www.millwardbrown.com and www.insightexpress.com .