Kantar acquires Ziment

9 May 2001

WPP announces that its wholly-owned information and consultancy division, Kantar, has acquired 100% of Ziment Associates Inc. and affiliated companies ('Ziment'), a leading US-based pharmaceutical research group.

Founded in 1976 and headquartered in New York, Ziment employs 135 people in its five operating units across 11 offices in the US. Ziment’s clients include some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Ziment will form the core of a new global healthcare practice to improve further the service Kantar offers its pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device clients. Other WPP companies in the healthcare communications sector include CommonHealth and Sudler & Hennessey, two of the world's largest pharmaceutical marketing and communications businesses.

The acquisition of Ziment continues WPP’s strategy of establishing a leadership position in fast-growing sectors and important markets.