InfoSum will join WPP’s media investment group GroupM and the deal will give WPP and clients access to InfoSum’s cross-platform data for marketing intelligence, audience targeting and AI model training.

The financial terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed, but WPP described it as a ‘major investment’ in its AI-led data offer.

Founded in 2016, InfoSum’s cross-cloud data collaboration technology allows brands and media owners to connect data sources across the marketing ecosystem without moving or exposing data.

WPP will integrate InfoSum’s capabilities with its marketing operating system WPP Open, allowing clients to make more use of their customer data, helped by advanced AI.

InfoSum’s global data network represents data signals from media platforms including Channel 4, ITV, Netflix and News Corp, retailers, and identity and data partners including Experian, TransUnion, Circana, Dynata and NCSolutions.

The move is part of a broader aim from WPP to help clients get more value from data without relying on identity-based solutions that have been affected by issues such as the phasing out of third-party cookies.

Mark Read, chief executive, WPP, said: “Bringing InfoSum into WPP is a major step forward for our data capabilities and the results we can deliver for our clients. It allows clients to stay in complete control of their first-party data, while also giving them access to vastly greater quantities of high-quality, privacy-compliant data and pioneering technology that is not available anywhere else in the market today.”

Brian Lesser, chief executive, GroupM, said: “Directly integrating InfoSum’s global data network and technology infrastructure will allow our clients to create even more value from their first-party data and enable us to train client AI models against the most data, from the most places, at unprecedented scale and speed.”

Lauren Wetzel (pictured), appointed InfoSum chief executive in 2024, will remain in the role following the acquisition. Wetzel will also take on an additional role as chief solutions officer for GroupM, working across functions to develop data-led products and solutions for WPP and GroupM clients.

InfoSum’s infrastructure will remain interoperable with existing platforms and partners following the deal.

Lauren Wetzel, chief executive of InfoSum, added: “We couldn’t be more excited to join forces with the team at GroupM as privacy and security become non-negotiables, and AI allows us to redefine what’s possible for advertisers and our network of media and data partners.”