Sport data experts Nielsen acquired by private equity group

Global data and analytics company, Nielsen, has confirmed it has been acquired by a private equity consortium, led by Evergreen Coast Capital Corporation and Brookfield Business Partners L.P., for a reported US$16 billion.

The consortium, which first invested in Nielsen four years ago, has raised its offer for the company, which remains subject to approval by Nielsen shareholders, as well as regulatory approvals, from an earlier attempted acquisition.

Commenting on the current offer, James A. Attwood, Chairperson of Nielsen’s Board of Directors, advised “after a thorough assessment, the Board determined that this transaction represents an attractive outcome for our shareholders by providing a cash takeout at a substantial premium, while supporting Nielsen’s commitment to our clients, employees and stakeholders.

“The consortium sees the full potential of Nielsen’s leadership position in the media industry and the unique value we deliver for our clients worldwide.”

Dave Gregory, Managing Partner of Brookfield Business Partners, noted “as a private company, Nielsen will be even better positioned to deliver the best measures of consumers’ rapidly changing behaviors across all channels and platforms.”

Relied upon by many in the sport, entertainment and media sectors for audience analytics, Nielsen gathers TV, radio and digital viewership data and has just launched its Nielsen Identity System in Australia, which improves the scale and accuracy of its open web methodology for digital advertising ratings.

Based in the USA, Nielsen operates in over 100 countries and employs approximately 44,000 people worldwide.

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