Hauck and Citigate DVL Smith To Merge

UK-based consultancies Citigate DVL Smith and Hauck Research Services, both owned by the Incepta Group Plc, are to be merged to form Incepta Marketing Intelligence. The various businesses and company brands within the group will continue to be run separately, reporting to the new Board, of which David Smith will be Chairman and Liz Hauck Deputy Chairman.

Other key positions will be shared between the two companies: from Citigate DVL Smith, Andy Dexter becomes Incepta's CEO and John Connaughton is a board director; from Hauck, Martin Cary becomes Group Finance Director and Rachel Clough a board director.

Incepta Marketing Intelligence is set for a full-scale launch on 1st March 2004. The new company will have offices in the UK, US and Hong Kong, a combined research & consulting staff of 130 and a forecast turnover of £20 million in this calendar year (equivalent to 8th in the 2003 Marketing Magazine League Tables and 3rd in UK qualitative research). Companies in the group enjoyed growth of 19% last year and this rate is expected to be maintained or slightly improved in 2003.

One of the benefits of forming the new company, says its CEO Andy Dexter, will be to 'draw in expertise from other Incepta Group companies much more easily'. The Incepta Group employs over 2000 marketing services professionals covering PR, Advertising, Sales Promotion, Direct Marketing, Event Marketing and Sponsorship.

According to Liz Hauck, the merger is aimed at 'building an integrated global network of research consultancies, while still delivering the personal style that characterises both agencies'. David Smith cites the benefits to clients over time as 'additional specialist capabilities and even greater international reach'.

Dexter stresses that the aim is 'to retain what is a successful and proven entrepreneurial culture... rather than moving this business towards the 'command and control' model of some MR groups. At the moment, there is no real client overlap between the agencies... so this will have real benefits for clients. For example, Hauck qualitative clients will be able to access the high end quant and corporate strategy consulting skills of DVL Smith Ltd; or if we take the example of Hauck's Red Balloon unit, we find a real centre of excellence in kids & youth research that could be very valuable for clients of Cognition. And of course, there is a natural synergy between The Wire and Viewpoint'.

As well as the companies mentioned above, the group includes US technology specialists Momentum Research Group, The P.O.P Shop and London viewing rooms Shoreditch Studios.

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

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