Independence Play: Fifty5Blue Separates from WPP Ownership to Compete in Asia
Kantar Media rebrands as Fifty5Blue after H.I.G. Capital acquisition, claiming independence from WPP ownership. The move positions the measurement firm to compete directly with Nielsen and GfK acro...
Kantar Media officially rebranded as Fifty5Blue on February 25–26, 2026, completing a legally required name change following its US$1 billion acquisition by private equity firm H.I.G. Capital in August 2025.
Rebrand Fulfills Contractual Requirement Embedded in Acquisition Terms
The new identity was not optional. The acquisition terms included a contractual deadline requiring Kantar Media to adopt a new brand within two years of the deal closing. The February 2026 announcement meets that obligation.
Existing products, including Ibope, TGI, and TechEdge, continue operating under the Fifty5Blue portfolio. The company stated clients can expect continuity in measurement standards during the transition.
Patrick Béhar, global CEO of Fifty5Blue, described the company's direction in the official announcement: "In a world full of noise, with no shortage of data, we believe clarity is the real differentiator." Béhar also noted that "independence has allowed the company to move faster and sharpen our long-term focus while remaining anchored in transparency and rigor."
H.I.G. Capital manages approximately US$70 billion in capital. Fifty5Blue now operates across more than 60 markets globally, headquartered in London.
Independence Argument Carries Weight in Asian Measurement Market
The structural separation from Kantar Group is a significant detail for Asian advertisers. Kantar Group remains owned by WPP and Bain Capital, two organizations with deep interests across the advertising industry. Fifty5Blue's separation removes that ownership link, giving the company a cleaner independence argument when competing for measurement contracts.
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The rebrand lands in a competitive regional landscape. Nielsen currently deploys its Total Ad Ratings system across Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Taiwan, delivering cross-device audience data including age and gender demographics, reach, frequency, and GRP figures. GfK holds a government-backed position in Singapore through SG-TAM 2.0, Asia's first independent, single-source, multi-platform TV measurement system, built on biannual surveys of 3,000 households.
Fifty5Blue also hired Toni Petra, formerly of Nielsen, as its new chief technology officer. The appointment directly targets Nielsen's technical credibility in the region.
Regional Leadership Appointment Signals Southeast Asia Push
Fifty5Blue appointed Rika Sharma as executive managing director for its Southeast Asia cluster and Singapore business. Sharma will lead growth initiatives, strengthen client partnerships, and advance cross-market collaboration across the region.
The company has also outlined plans to expand hybrid measurement solutions, combining traditional panel-based audience data with large-scale digital datasets. AI tools will allow clients to interrogate real-time proprietary data more easily across the advertising funnel.
The rebrand and regional appointments follow a year of post-acquisition investment in talent, technology, and partnerships, according to the company's official announcement via Business Wire.
Fifty5Blue's full network and regional operations are detailed on the company's website.
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