• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, December 23, 2005

Aegis Group, the London-based holding company that has been the subject of takeover speculation from suitors keen on its media services and marketing research businesses, Friday announced plans to expand its research operations with yet another acquisition, Germany's Roland Berger's Market Research for about $6.4 million.

Aegis, which has been on an acquisition tear all year, even as it was being pursued, said the new addition, a specialist in market research for the B-to-B, financial, utility, telecommunications and transportation industry, would become part of its Synovate research network.

"We've been looking to extend Synovate's position in Germany, the world's third largest economy and a major market for many of our international clients," Aegis CEO Robert Lerwill sated, adding, that the RBMR was a good fit with the rest of Synovate's operations.

In the media buying field, Aegis owns Carat, Vizeum, Isobar, and Posterscope.