PALO ALTO, CA: Private equity firm Symphony Technology Group has acquired media monitoring and analysis provider Kantar Reputation Intelligence, a subsidiary of Kantar, as well as U.K.-based media relations and workflow management platform PRgloo and U.S.-based AI technology and data science company Onclusive.
The merged company will operate under the name Onclusive and create global media monitoring, measurement and workflow management services for PR and communications clients.
The deal closed on December 31; financial terms were not disclosed.
As a joint company, Onclusive will have more than 9,000 clients in 130 markets, including AT&T, Airbnb, PwC, British Telecoms and European Central Bank.
The deal comes after Bain Capital, owner of Kantar, planned to divest the KRI business unit, according to Onclusive CEO Dan Beltramo. Talks to merge commenced in August, after KRI, PRgloo and Onclusive worked together in different capacities.
Prior to the merger, Beltramo said KRI and PRgloo had a reselling agreement for KRI to resell PRgloo’s product suite, while Onclusive, KRI and PRgloo were jointly developing PR workflow tools and validated contact databases. KRI and Onclusive also had a reseller agreement for Onclusive’s services in Europe.
“What is wonderful about the combination is that we're entirely complimentary. Each combination of the company was working with each other before and were servicing clients together,” Beltramo said. “[We each have] non-overlapping capabilities so that we can offer a broad suite of services.”
As a result of the merger, existing clients will be able to access the joint company’s full range of services, including media monitoring and workflow management. Onclusive has also started pitching and serving new clients, but declined to name the companies.
Under the new structure, Kantar Reputation Intelligence CEO Petra Masinova will take on the role of chief commercial officer of Onclusive. Dan Beltramo, CEO of the legacy Onclusive business, moves into the role of chief innovation officer. Samantha Deeks, cofounder and CEO of PRgloo, will take on the role of SVP of product management.
Each will report to a new London-based CEO, who is expected to start in February. Beltramo declined to name the executive, but said it is someone with “an international software background.”
Onclusive was the product of the merger and rebranding of AirPR and Ozmotik in 2019
As part of the deal, the company’s joint headcount is 1,100 employees based in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Australia. Onclusive’s joint revenue is also now “well over 100 million pounds,” Beltramo said.
