Kantar and Equity Firm to Buy StepUp RGM

Kantar is partnering with tech-focused private equity firm SilverTree Equity to acquire Belgium-based Revenue Growth Management (RGM) software and big data solutions vendor StepUp RGM. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

Founded in 2010 and employing more than 65 people, StepUp RGM also has offices in New York and Miami, and provides a range of RGM services - from promo effectiveness, trade profitability and profit pool, to portfolio performance and price pack architecture solutions. The firm's multi-regression model, 'Promo ROI' engine, measures short-term sales impact and promotional investments, linking sales and financial data to calculate ROI promotions. Factors measured in the model include category seasonality, media investments and competitive actions, while KPIs assessed include promotional uplift, sell in/sell out ratio, and share of 'incrementals'.

With the acquisition, StepUp RGM will join Kantar XTEL, the group's trade optimisation business, to create an end-to-end Revenue Management Software platform for the CPG market. The combined business will operate independently within the Kantar Group, with SilverTree Equity as a key operating partner and shareholder.

The entire StepUp RGM team will join Kantar XTEL, and the StepUp offering will become the Kantar XTEL's main RGM product solution. Cédric Guyot (pictured) will lead the combined business as CEO.

Web sites: www.kantar.com , www.silvertreeequity.com and www.stepupconsulting.eu .