Apax Partners to Buy Ascential Research Unit WGSN

UK-based Ascential, the information and analytics company once known as EMAP, has announced it will sell its digital commerce and consumer research units for around £1.4bn, so as to focus on its events business.

The digital commerce business (to be known as Flywheel Digital) is due to join marcoms giant Omnicom Group for $900m; and its consumer research unit WGSN is to be sold to Wind UK Bidco 3 Ltd, an acquisition vehicle of Apax, for up to £700m. WGSN uses forecasting, analytics and custom research techniques to study fashion trends, and has particular strength in the apparel, accessories and interiors sectors.

The sale of WGSN was rumoured at the beginning of this year as part of a mooted break-up plan for Ascential. Apax, which just two weeks ago emerged as the likely £203m buyer of UK-based digital transformation consultancy Kin + Carta, was part-owner of Ascential's forerunner company Emap as long ago as 2011.

Ascential CEO Duncan Painter will join Omnicom to become CEO of Flywheel Digital; while Philip Thomas, currently CEO of its intelligence and events business, is set to replace him.

Media management firm Hudson MX, in which Ascential holds a 36.5% stake, is also slated for sale with Omnicom involved in the process - further details were not released.

In August, Ascential acquired Contagious Communications, a creative insights business offering 'creative inspiration' and trend analysis for agency and brand customers - both this and ad industry research, publishing and subscription service WARC were part of the Events and Intelligence unit and at this point in time DRNO is unsure if they are going with WGSN. We'll update this article when we've had a chance to check with our contacts there.

Web sites: www.ascential.com and www.wgsn.com .