Kantar acquires Mattson Jack Group

6 Jun 2003

The Kantar Group, WPP’s information, insight and consultancy division, has acquired The Mattson Jack Group (MJG), a leading US based healthcare consultancy. The company, founded in 1986 and headquartered in St. Louis, employs 94 people across six offices including Kansas City, London, Parsippany (NJ), Philadephia and Phoenix.

MJG clients include Abbott, Amgen, Aventis, AstraZeneca, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Pfizer and Takeda. Services provided include modeling and forecasting, strategic analysis and planning, counseling on the licensing of products, M&A planning and support, technology assessments and optimization of promotional spend and brand life extension.

In recent years, MJG has begun to generate a growing proportion of its revenues from outside the US and through the provision of multi-client products and databases such as EpiDatabase®, Forecast Architect® and CancerMETRIC™. All key management including co-founders and co-CEO’s Bill Mattson and Bill Jack as well as President Richard Martin have signed long term employment contracts. MJG will operate as a stand-alone entity within Kantar with Bill Mattson and Bill Jack jointly reporting to Kantar CEO Eric Salama.

Commenting on the acquisition MJG CEO Bill Mattson said “Mattson Jack is honoured to join the WPP/Kantar family. We see considerable synergy with several other units of WPP/Kantar, particularly those with important interests in the Rx pharma market. We look forward to continuing robust growth through expanding service to our clients as a result of our new relationship.”

Kantar CEO Eric Salama said “I’m absolutely thrilled that MJG are joining us. They are the most talented group of people operating in their field and we’re excited about the possibilities of working together. Healthcare is a key area of focus and growth for us and MJG will be a critical part of that offer. Together with Ziment and capabilities elsewhere within Kantar we now have some of the deepest healthcare experience and talent available.”