Quæstor Acquired by eq

Quæstor Research & Marketing Strategists in the UK has been acquired by marketing services group eq group plc in a move which will allow the company to draw on additional resources and sources of investment as it seeks to expand its business in the UK and abroad.

The acquisition will consolidate Quæstor's position as one of the fastest growing research agencies in the UK. Quæstor will remain autonomous within the eq group structure and there will be no changes to its management board or account teams.

Anne-Marie McDermott, Quæstor Managing Director, explains: 'As far as our clients and staff are concerned, it is very much business as usual. There will be no changes to our level of service, our address, our branding and the way we do business. Becoming part of a bigger group whilst retaining our autonomy is all about looking to the future. Quæstor is at a critical point in its growth and we are currently seeing significant consolidation within the market research industry. Joining eq group will underpin Quæstor's future growth by giving us access to additional investment and providing exciting new business opportunities, especially in Europe and the United States.'

Quæstor becomes the fourth member company of eq group plc. Other members are Broadnet Ltd, providers of broadcast scheduling systems, US-based TV Interactive, and Buckingham Research - a complementary market research company to Quæstor specialising in sophisticated modelling techniques.

Bob Bond, Chief Executive of eq group plc, said: 'Quaestor is an established research agency with a reputation for providing creative insights and a refreshing, customer-focused approach. As such, it fits neatly within our growing portfolio of well-managed, profitable companies that provide marketing information services. We are delighted that Quaestor's existing management are staying with the company and we expect all companies within eq group plc to gain from Quaestor's particular expertise. In addition, we are aiming to capitalise on mutually beneficial opportunities created by the enlarged group.'

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

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