Ipsos acquires mystery-shopper assets from Market Pulse International

Ipsos has acquired the mystery-shopping staff, shoppers, and clients of Market Pulse International, a 20-year-old company with operations in ANZ and Thailand.

Overall, 30 people from Market Pulse International will join Ipsos in Australia, New Zealand and Thailand, and two former Market Pulse International employees will lead Ipsos' mystery-shopper operations in the markets: Shaun Hellyer in Australia and New Zealand, and Witchaya Lekagul in Thailand. Hellyer has more than 16 years’ experience in research, publishing and company sales and was formerly international account director for Market Pulse International. Lekagul has been with the company since its expansion into southeast Asia in 2000.

The Market Pulse International deal "will significantly expand the Ipsos Mystery Shopping offer in Asia Pacific, with new resource and expertise including blue-chip clients, trained shoppers and auditors, and expert teams," Didier Truchot, Ipsos' chairman and CEO, said in a media release. The deal also includes a Thailand-based mystery shopping support center, which will serve as a platform to support further growth in the region, he added.

The move follows Ipsos' 10 October announcement that it had completed a €105 million (US$120.7 million) acquisition of four global divisions of GfK's custom research business, specifically customer experience, experience innovation, health, and public affairs. The deal added about 1,000 employees to Ipsos.