The agency says the acquisitions of the research division of IMI in Egypt and Ipsos's local fieldwork partner IDRS in Iraq completes its geographical coverage through the Middle East and North Africa region.
In Egypt, Ipsos acquired the research division of IMI - International Marketing & Management Institute - representing 80% of IMI shares. IMI was founded in 1999 by a group of investors and is managed by one of its founders and partners, Amr Kais, who becomes managing director of the new Ipsos company.
The firm will employ 24 researchers and will offer media research and monitoring, advertising and marketing research as well as research for customer relationship management.
In Iraq, the group has acquired 70% of IDRS, a company set up two years ago exclusively to handle all Ipsos fieldwork business in the country.
Ipsos has operated in the region since 1988 and now has offices in nine countries - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq, with more than 350 full-time employees.
Edouard Monin, the group's CEO for the Middle East and North Africa area, said: "The Egyptian research market is one of the most dynamic in the region with an absolute growth of 20% in 2005 compared to 2004."
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