Synovate expanding globally

Synovate becomes top tier player in Germany

Roland Berger Market Research has offices in Munich and Hamburg, employs 35 members of staff and has particular expertise in business-to-business, financial, utilities, telecoms, children/youth, and traffic/transportation research.

Commenting on the acquisition, Adrian Chedore, global CEO of Synovate, said, "Roland Berger Market Research has a reputation for excellence that extends well beyond Germany. There is a strong fit between Synovate's existing full service operations in Wiesbaden, where we have exceptional capabilities in FMCG research, and the strengths of Roland Berger Market Research, which extend across a range of other sectors."

Burkhard Schwenker, CEO of Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, added, "The acquisition of Roland Berger Market Research by Synovate makes strong business sense for both Roland Berger and Synovate. This step will ensure that we're following our strategy of focusing on our core business. Roland Berger Market Research's clients will profit from Synovate's extensive global coverage and specialist expertise."

Chedore went on to say, "The acquisition of Roland Berger Market Research firmly establishes Synovate in the top tier of German market research suppliers, making us better able to serve the needs of our local clients across all the main economic centres of the country and in all key industry sectors. Germany is also a very important market for many of Synovate's international clients and this move ensures that Synovate can offer them significantly enhanced capabilities for conducting market research in Germany."

Roland Berger Market Research will be integrated with Synovate's existing operations in Germany under the leadership of Harald Hasselmann, current Managing Director of Roland Berger Market Research. He will split his time between Synovate's Wiesbaden and Munich offices. Martin Wegner, currently Managing Director of Synovate Germany, will retire from his country management role, but take up a new consultancy role for Synovate in Western Europe after a short handover period.

Synovate enters Turkish market with acquisition of Plus REMARK

Plus REMARK has strong expertise in the financial services, consumer, automotive, industrial products, IT, telecom and media sectors. The company is located in Istanbul and employs 76 staff.

Synovate's Global CEO Adrian Chedore said this acquisition allows Synovate to enter a market with great potential.

"We are expanding our geographical coverage into Turkey, which has a population of 73 million and a booming economy, with a research spend that is growing at well above industry average. What's more, it offers a springboard into the developing markets of Central Asia. This boosts Synovate's already strong profile in key emerging countries and gives our clients full access to this increasingly important market.

"Plus REMARK has a high reputation in brand and communication management, pricing and loyalty research which will complement and deepen our existing strengths in these strategic, value-adding areas," Mr Chedore added.

Temel Aksoy, President and founder of Plus REMARK, said that joining Synovate would allow the company to take even greater advantage of the fast-growing research market in Turkey.

"Synovate's leading-edge solutions will provide our clients with a new dimension in research tools, and we will be able to extend our services into new sectors.

"Not only our clients but also our employees will benefit from all of the opportunities offered by a leading global company," he noted.

Synovate will rapidly integrate Plus REMARK into its worldwide network, giving clients in Turkey access to Synovate's suite of research solutions and its offices in 47 countries on six continents.

Synovate expands into Scandinavia

Univero is the largest independent market research network in Scandinavia, providing qualitative and quantitative research services to leading Scandinavian and global research companies. The Group has particular expertise in FMCG, food and drinks, public sector, brand and communications, media, youth and retail research.

Commenting on the acquisition, global CEO of Synovate, Adrian Chedore said, "This is a very significant acquisition for Synovate, making us a major player in Scandinavia. Univero will significantly boost the size of our operations across Western Europe and will provide clients with full service research capabilities in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. We are delighted to have such a successful research agency on board and are confident that their positive attitude and pioneering research solutions will fit well with our current mix of offerings to clients."

Elisabet Annell, CEO of Univero, commented, "Joining Synovate is a really exciting prospect for Univero. Our clients will benefit from Synovate's extensive global capabilities, as well as having access to a comprehensive range of leading research practices and solutions."