The acquisition extends Experian's Business Strategies division's presence in Belgium and strengthens its global consumer profiling, segmentation and retail analysis offering.

Created in 1990, Adhoc Solutions offers Belgian companies consultancy and online services for consumer analysis, retail planning, geo-demographic profiling and segmentation. The acquisition will complement Business Strategies' existing international Mosaic coverage and provide a more comprehensive cross-border solution for its clients in France and the Netherlands.

Adhoc Solutions has a strong client base among banks, insurance companies, telcos, retailers and the public sector. Its clients include major Belgian players such as Carrefour (retail), ING (banks), Audi-VW (automotive), Mobistar (telecom) and the fire services (public sector). The acquisition also affords an opportunity for Business Strategies to work more closely with a range of Brussels-based organisations, including the European Commission. Adhoc employs highly skilled consultants and analysts, including many post-graduates from Louvain, one of the top European universities in economics and mathematics.

Charles Burton, Global Managing Director of Experian's Business Strategies division, commented: "We are delighted to welcome the Adhoc Solutions team to Experian. The acquisition will form the basis of the division's operation in Belgium. We will strengthen Adhoc's existing consumer and retail analytics offer with access to our core profiling and consumer products such as Mosaic and Micromarketer Generation 3. The acquisition will give us a firm platform to develop our business in Belgium whilst providing a unique cross-border offering to all our European clients."

Stéphane Roumieux, Managing Director of Adhoc Solutions: "Adhoc Solutions is well established in its market and has a similar business model to Experian, in terms of its range of activities and services. By combining Experian's knowledge and expertise with Adhoc's presence in and knowledge of the Belgian market, we will be able to provide Belgian companies with a wider and more comprehensive portfolio of services."

The acquisition of Adhoc Solutions is consistent with Experian's global strategy of acquiring complementary businesses that provide new products, new data or entry into new vertical or regional markets, while leveraging the core assets of Experian.