• by Joe Mandese , July 1, 2019

Private-equity firm Bain Capital has emerged as the likely suitor to acquire a majority stake in WPP marketing and media research unit Kantar, according to several news reports quoting anonymous sources.

“WPP is poised to enter final negotiations with Bain Capital on terms of a transaction after the private-equity firm submitted the strongest offer by the June 25 deadline, the people said,” Bloomberg reported this morning.

The reports indicate rival bidder Apollo Global Management is no longer in the running, although other unnamed suitors remain interested in the investment.