WPP Buys Majority of Finnish Reputation Consultancy

WPP-owned PR giant Burson-Marsteller has acquired a majority stake in Finnish reputation management consultancy Pohjoisranta, which offers a range of research services including reputation surveys, competitor analyses and stakeholder studies. Terms were not disclosed.

Founded in 1995 by partners Jouni Heinonen, Esa Laurila and Tommi Siikaniva, Helsinki-based Pohjoisranta provides strategic comms advice, PR, financial reporting and press relations, along with its research and analyses services. The latter include readership / targeting surveys for magazines, and the proprietary RepMap tool which gives a measure of an organisation's reputation.

Revenue for the year ended 31 December 2011 was approximately EUR 5.1 million and the company employs a team of over 40 communication professionals.

Pohjoisranta has been Burson-Marsteller's exclusive affiliate partner in Finland since 2006, and will now become a full member of the network as Pohjoisranta Burson-Marsteller.

Heinonen (pictured) comments: 'Our clients have become more international than ever, and sharing global knowledge on best practices is extremely important for us. Being able to work even more closely with the global network will benefit all of our clients and this acquisition is the natural step.'

Web sites: www.bm.com and www.pohjoisranta.fi .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.