Earlier this year pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, a client of the Mattson Jack Group, consolidated its business with Publicis Groupe and WPP, which owns other healthcare consultancies including CommonHealth and Shire Hall. Mattson Jack will become part of WPP's information, insight and consultancy division The Kantar Group.
The acquisition coincides with reports that WPP's interest in Cordiant Communications centres on the crisis-ridden ad group's healthcare business, HealthWorld.
Mattson Jack is WPP's fourth acquisition this year. The other three are: Sadek Wynberg Research, added to Millward Brown; market research and media firm Marktest Investimentos, now part of Kantar; and Zurich-based advertising agency Guye Benker, now part Young & Rubicam.
The Mattson Jack Group offers a range of services including modelling and forecasting, strategic analysis and planning, counselling on licensing of products, M&A planning and support, technology assessments and optimisation of promotional spend and brand life extension.
Founded in 1986 and headquartered in St Louis, Missouri, Mattson Jack employs 94 people across its six offices, including international operations in the UK and Japan. Its clients include Aventis, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis and Pfizer.
The group had revenues of $18.4m (£11.5m) for the year 2002 and net assets of $1.2m as at the date of acquisition.
This investment continues WPP's strategy of developing its information, insight and consulting businesses through a combination of acquisition and organic growth.
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