Flake-Wilkerson and Market Strategies Merge

In the US, customer sat specialist Flake-Wilkerson Market Insights (F-W) has merged with competitor Market Strategies International (MSI). Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

F-W will become MSI's Communications Industry Group, which the firms say will complement existing industry groups focused on energy, financial services, global life sciences, healthcare and technology. The announcement follows the July merger of MSI and technology specialist Doxus (www.mrweb.com/drno/news7038.htm ) and boosts combined projected 2007 revenues to around $90m.

MSI said that F-W Principal Partners Karen Flake and George Wilkerson will join its executive committee. Flake commented on the merger: 'Together, we will bring our clients a wider range of products and solutions along with our ability to respond quickly to requests.'

Little Rock, Arkansas headquartered F-W was formed in 1996 when Flake bought Miller Research Group and Wilkerson, a former partner at another research firm, joined as partner. The firm has additional offices in Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, Stamford, New York and Nashville and employs 79 full-time staff.

'This merger represents another important step in our progress toward offering our clients the best market research and consulting services in the industry,' commented MSI CEO Dr Andrew Morrison.

MSI was founded in 1989, is headquartered in Livonia, Michigan and has five additional regional offices. The company has more than 170 senior consultants, researchers, statisticians and project managers, as well as 400 part-time team members. Web sites are at www.fw-mi.com and www.marketstrategies.com.