InSites Consulting Bolsters African Footprint

Global consumer collaboration & insight agency InSites Consulting announced today that Johannesburg-based agency Columinate is joining its ranks. InSites Consulting is among the top 100 largest and top 10 most innovative market research agencies in the world, while Columinate is recognized as South Africa’s first, leading, and largest modern insights agency. After announcing its first acquisition of Sydney-based research agency Direction First less than a year ago, this second acquisition aims to bolster InSites Consulting’s African footprint.

Last month, InSites Consulting entered into a strategic partnership with private equity firm Mentha Capital to support and accelerate InSites Consulting’s global growth ambitions. South Africa is the largest African research market, representing 50% of all market research spend in the region and is widely recognized by global brands as a future growth market. Building on Columinate’s strong momentum - demonstrating an impressive year-on-year growth of +35% over the last four years through increased adoption of digital research methods - InSites Consulting can now take a strong strategic position on the African continent and become a relevant partner for regional and global brands in the area.

“Today, we anchor our global presence across four continents and eight offices. With the intellectual capital, client network and digital technology which Columinate brings to the table, we will be able to better service the needs of and unlock more benefits for our global clients,” says Kristof De Wulf, co-founder, and CEO of InSites Consulting.

“We have been paying close attention to Columinate’s development and growth for the last few years and we can’t imagine a better partner. Considering our many similarities, from a strong cultural and digital DNA to our approach of client service, Columinate feels like the perfect fit,” adds Tim Duhamel, co-founder, and CSO of InSites Consulting.

Henk Pretorius, co-founder, and CEO of Columinate, will preserve his role of Managing Director of the South African office, but will also join the global InSites Consulting organization as a Managing Partner. His broader focus includes defining the strategic direction of InSites Consulting to help it achieve its ambitious corporate goals.

“We are fortunate to have such a strong, future-focused partner in InSites Consulting. Together, we can continue pioneering world-first solutions and raise our ambitions to become the leading African modern insights agency. We can’t be happier to be part of the global InSites Consulting powerhouse,” Pretorius concludes.

About Columinate
?Founded in 2008, Columinate is South Africa’s first, leading, and largest modern insights agency that’s known and awarded for making clever simple. The independent, full-service digital research agency uses a range of cutting-edge methodologies to help its clients understand, satisfy and engage their customers.
 

About InSites Consulting
InSites Consulting was founded in 1997 as a spin-off of Vlerick Business School, one of Europe’s finest business schools. Being a Great Place to Work® and a GRIT top 10 most innovative market research agency 6 years in a row, it is globally recognized as a pioneer and innovator in empowering people through new (digital) technology to drive better and faster consumer decision making. With a team of 250+ people across 8 offices (Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, the US, Romania, Germany, Australia and now South Africa), it serves the consumer insight needs of more than a third of the world’s Best Global Brands such as BBC World, eBay, Heineken, IKEA, L’Oréal, Mastercard, Philips, Volkswagen, Uber and Unilever. Through its Global Community Moderator Network, it services clients on a global scale in more than 50 countries.
 

This content was originally published by InSites Consulting . Visit their website at www.insites-consulting.com.