• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, September 12, 2011

WPP's media and market research subsidiary Kantar has acquired Seattle-based research firm Global Market Insite (GMI).

Kantar said the firm would be integrated into the operations of its subsidiary Lightspeed Research to create what the companies said would be one of the largest global online sample providers in the research industry.

The combined entity will be overseen by Lightspeed's global CEO, David Day. Michael Brochu, CEO of GMI, will be leaving the company after a transition period. "I'm probably the only casualty," Brochu told The Seattle Times. If true, that's good news for the approximately 230 other employees of GMI.

With offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia, GMI will add panels in 13 countries, bringing Lightspeed Research's global reach to over 4 million online panelists across 38 countries.

WPP said the acquisition would add a number of key markets to the Lightspeed Research footprint -- including Brazil, Mexico and India, among others -- while adding panel capacity in the U.S., Canada and a handful of major European markets as well.

"Uniting the assets of these two global leaders in the online panel market research industry strengthens our offer to clients through the size and reach of our panels," stated Day. "Our combined technology and market research expertise will put us in a strong position to address the significant growth and rapid change in our industry around the world."

Kantar said that Lightspeed and GMI would operate as separate entities through the end of 2011 as the integration process is planned for implementation in 2012.

WPP said that GMI's revenues in 2010 totaled $64 million, with gross assets at the same date of $26 million.