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Global Moves for GfK
The GfK Group has a majority share in a new joint venture in Israel, and has announced several other recent moves to expand its global presence. They include an increased stake in Swiss agency Research Matters, the establishment of a branch for its HealthCare division in Thailand and the integration of New York's Audits and Surveys.
GfK joins partners Avinoam Brog, owner of the Israeli market research company, Market Watch, and Cyprus-based MEMRB in founding Israeli agency GfK Retail and Technology, in which GfK has a 63.8% stake. The company will provide sales information on technical consumer goods in Israel, and already has interest from brand manufacturers such as Philips, LG, Samsung, Sony and Nespresso.
GfK also announced that on January 1st 2006 it had increased its shareholding in the Swiss pharmaceutical market reseach company, Research Matters, from 33% to 66%. The company focuses on ad hoc and tracking research of medication used to treat cancer patients. The company now operates under the name GfK Research Matters and has a staff of eleven.
The HealthCare division in Asia has a new branch in Thailand, as of 1st November 2005, adding to existing locations in China, Hong Kong, Singapore. Projects in Japan, Korea and Taiwan are managed by the Hong Kong and Singapore branches.
As part of the intergration of NOP World's US subsidiaries, Audits & Surveys has been incorporated into the Retail and Technology division, and will operate under the name GfK Audits & Surveys.
The Group is online at www.gfk.com
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