Kantar Media to be sold to investment firm

HIG Capital reportedly made an offer for Kantar Media late last year, following a number of press reports about Kantar Media’s availability for sale.

Ipsos was among the companies that contemplated an offer for Kantar Media, ultimately deciding against an acquisition.

Kantar Media has been operationally independent from the rest of Kantar since 2023, and following the completion of the sale to HIG Capital, Kantar Media chief executive officer Patrick Béhar will remain in post, the company confirmed.

Kantar said that the deal is expected to close later this year, subject to customary legal and regulatory requirements and completion of information and consultation processes with employee representatives where necessary. 

The purchase price is anticipated to be paid in a combination of cash, certain non-cash consideration, including separation-related investments by HIG Capital, and an earn-out. 

JP Morgan and Jefferies acted as financial advisors to Kantar Group, while Morgan Stanley & Co International acted as lead financial adviser and ING acted as financial adviser to HIG Capital.   

Béhar said: “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.

“Today is a fantastic moment for Kantar Media, its teams, its partners and its customers as we embark with HIG onto the next stage of our transformation.” 

Nishant Nayyar, managing director at HIG Capital, said: “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: “Today’s proposed partnership announcement with HIG 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.”