New KPMG Advisory Arm Buys Acuity Research and Insights

Professional services firm KPMG Australia has launched a specialist Customer, Brand & Marketing advisory business, which has already acquired Sydney-based market research firm Acuity Research and Insights. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Founded in 2010, Acuity offers a range of research services covering customer experience and loyalty, brand health, ad development, employee engagement and communications, market and customer segmentation, and U&A studies. The team joins KPMG, with company founder Amanda Hicks becoming a Partner.

The new Customer, Brand & Marketing advisory business will be led by KMPG Partner Paul Howes, who says the organisation is already 'eyeing' further acquisitions. It launches with a combined team of 43 specialists, including six Partners, and will work closely with the UK-based KPMG Nunwood Customer Experience Excellence Centre.

Gary Wingrove, CEO of KPMG Australia, comments: 'Acuity's strong track record conducting some of the country's longest-running customer engagement and corporate image research projects provides a significant point of difference for our offering. Paul is a proven practice builder with a natural flair for customer insights and brand building. I'm confident he'll do an outstanding job driving this new enterprise forward'.

Web site: www.kpmg.com.au .