Kantar Group announced the proposed sale of Kantar Media to H.I.G. Capital​ for US$1 billion

Kantar Group, a leading, global market research company based in London and portfolio company of Bain Capital, announced the proposed sale of Kantar Media to H.I.G. Capital, a leading global alternative investment firm with $67 billion of capital under management.

The contemplated deal will mark a new chapter for Kantar Media as it embarks on an exciting phase of growth and innovation, with a renewed focus on delivering cutting-edge insights to clients across the content and advertising landscapes.

The proposed acquisition by H.I.G. Capital, a firm known for its hands-on approach and successful track record of accelerating business growth, comes at a pivotal moment for Kantar Media. The company, which operates in over 60 markets, is uniquely positioned to shape the measurement ecosystem with a broad portfolio of solutions that spans audience measurement and data analytics as well as media planning and validation.

Kantar Media CEO, Patrick Béhar will continue to lead the business. “Over a year ago, I joined Kantar Media from Sky to accelerate the transformation of Kantar Media into an agile, technology-centric company, shaping the measurement industry through advanced cross-media solutions. This transaction would give us the resources and support to further accelerate our growth trajectory and strengthen our position as the global leader in media measurement and analytics. With H.I.G.’s expertise in scaling businesses and driving performance, we are more confident than ever in our ability to deliver innovative, data-driven solutions that meet the evolving needs of our growing client base all over the globe. Today is a fantastic moment for Kantar Media, its teams, its partners and its customers as we embark with H.I.G onto the next stage of our transformation”.

“We are excited to partner with Patrick and his talented team,” said Nishant Nayyar, Managing Director at H.I.G Capital. “Kantar Media has a long-standing reputation for delivering essential data and trusted insights to the global media industry. We are confident that as an independent business under the leadership of Patrick, the company will continue to thrive and lead the way in media measurement and analytics innovation”.

Chris Jansen, Kantar’s Chief Executive, added, “We set up Kantar Media to be operationally independent in 2023, to allow it to consolidate its global leadership position in audience measurement. Today’s proposed partnership announcement with H.I.G. Capital positions Kantar Media to continue its investments in technological and geographical leadership and we wish Patrick and his team the very best for the future. Following the proposed sale, Kantar will be even more focused on helping both global and local brands to grow through a unique combination of IP, data assets, and increasing the rapid deployment of AI. Kantar remains the world’s leading data and marketing analytics company.”

The transaction’s purchase price of approximately $1 billion is anticipated to be primarily paid in cash, along with certain non-cash consideration, including separation-related investments by H.I.G. Capital, and an earn-out.

Subject to customary legal and regulatory requirements and completion of information and consultation processes with employee representatives where necessary, the proposed transaction is expected to close later this year.

J.P. Morgan and Jefferies acted as financial advisors to Kantar Group on the contemplated transaction.

Morgan Stanley & Co International acted as lead financial advisor and ING acted as financial advisor to H.I.G. Capital on the contemplated transaction.