UK's PurpleMR Buys Fieldwork Firm Prevision

Hendon, North London-based full service agency PurpleMR has taken a majority stake in data collection provider Prevision Research; and has brought in Bob Qureshi, Co-owner and Managing Partner of facilities group i-View as a Director and shareholder for Prevision.

Both businesses were established in 2002. Prevision, based in nearby Milton Keynes, is a boutique CATI centre with a specialism in reaching difficult audiences such as B2B samples, housing association tenants, professional services and trade audiences, and the acquisition will enable Purple to offer a wider range of services, as well as support the development of both CATI and digital data services to both agencies and end-clients. Purple co-founders Stephen Bairfelt and Trevor Wilkinson have worked with Prevision for more than six years, and purchased a small stake in the firm a couple of years ago. Together with Qureshi they have now bought the remaining shares of previous owner and MD Martin Walls, who will continue to work in the business on a consultancy basis.

Qureshi, who comes in as an equal shareholder with the other two, is the Co-owner and Managing Partner of i-View London, Leeds and Warsaw and a director of the Research Club. He joins the board with immediate effect, bringing in-depth experience of both consultancy and operational roles. Bairfelt (pictured left) is a former Chairman of the ICG (the UK-based Independent Consultants Group), and a board director and recently appointed fellow of the MRS, while Wilkinson (pictured right) was formerly Chairman of the b2b research interest group BIG and is currently its treasurer.

Bairfelt says of the buy: 'We are really excited to have the opportunity to lead and develop Prevision. We have worked with the team for many years and know all about their high service standards and reliability. We are delighted that Bob has decided to join us as his knowledge, skills and experience will be invaluable as the research and data collection business continues to evolve'. Qureshi describers Prevision as 'a hidden treasure in the research industry', and adds: 'I welcome the opportunity to work with established quantitative experts alongside i-View and the Research Club. The research industry is changing at a rapid pace, in response to the explosion of different data sources. In this environment, I continue to believe that quality and service combined with innovation and experience will continue to be valued by clients'.

Web site: www.purplemr.co.uk .