WPP expands market research offering

WPP has inked a deal to take over Chinese market research firm All China Strategic Research (ACSR) to boost its research offering in the mainland. <BR><BR> Pending approval from Chinese authorities, WPP plans to merge ACSR with Millward Brown, a move that would make the combined entity one of the five largest research companies in the country. ACSR, one of China's oldest research companies has offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou with a data collection network across urban and rural China. <BR><BR> Millward Brown said it hopes the deal will be completed in August. <BR><BR> The merged company, Millward Brown ACSR, will report into Millward Brown's regional headquarters in Singapore which is headed by Asia-Pacific CEO Andreas Sperling (pictured).