The increase in revenue was worth an extra €51.4m compared with the first six months of 2023, and saw growth of 4.8% in the first quarter and 4.7% in the second, compared with the same periods last year.

The results were particularly linked to the acquisitions of I&O Research in the Netherlands, Jarmany in the UK and B&A in the Republic of Ireland, according to Ipsos.

Europe, Middle East and Africa saw organic growth of 7.6% in the first half of the year, driven by continental Europe and the Middle East, with double-digit growth in Germany and Italy.

Asia-Pacific region posted organic growth of 4%, although Ipsos said that growth in China remained weak due to a lack of macroeconomic clarity and there was a slowdown in the second quarter over the rest of the region, albeit with expectations that performance will pick up in the second half of the year.

Business in the Americas was down slightly, mainly due to the electoral cycle and the end of major one-off contracts which are weighing on Ipsos’ public affairs activities, and by a wave of restructuring in the pharmaceutical industry. 

Ben Page, chief executive at Ipsos, said: “Ipsos has once again demonstrated the resilience of its operating model, illustrated by organic growth of nearly 4% and a very good level of profitability and cash generation in the first half of the year.

“Despite a cyclical slowdown linked to elections in many countries (as US, UK, France, India) and specific headwinds in the US, overall our geographical diversity, the breadth of our range of solutions, our unique expertise and our technological breakthroughs are key fundamentals that enable us to pursue our growth strategy.”