1 February 2018: The Financial Times has acquired a controlling stake in Longitude, a specialist provider of thought leadership and research services to a multinational corporate and institutional client base.
This investment builds on the Financial Times’ recent growth in several business areas, including subscription sales (paid-for readers now exceed 910,000), branded content via the acquisition of Alpha Grid, and conferences and events through Financial Times Live. It extends the FT’s traditional commercial offering into a wider set of integrated services.
Financial Times CEO John Ridding said: “Longitude’s professional culture and reputation for quality sets it apart and makes it an ideal partner for the Financial Times. There is a natural synergy between our two businesses and aligning Longitude’s expertise and innovative approach with the Financial Times’ global audience and distribution will be of great benefit for our commercial clients.”
Longitude CEO, Rob Mitchell, said: “This deal creates a powerful new offering for our combined multinational client base. We are very excited about the potential for our growth and look forward to collaborating with the Financial Times’ commercial and events teams to expand this business both in the UK and internationally.”
Longitude’s product offering spans three areas: Advisory, a set of services that helps clients to plan and execute effective and differentiated thought leadership campaigns; Research, which encompasses surveys, interview programmes, data modelling and desk research; and Content, which covers multi-format thought leadership campaigns, spanning reports, articles, opinion pieces, visual and interactive content.
The Longitude team will remain in their London office for 2018 and will look to move into the Financial Times’ new headquarters, Bracken House, in early 2019.
-ENDS-
For more information please contact:
Financial Times: Vicky Taylor | vicky.taylor@ft.com | +44 7912 073513
Longitude: Emily Taylor Gregory | emily@longitude.co.uk | 0203 841 4773
About the Financial Times:
The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. The FT has a record paying readership of more than 910,000.
About Longitude:
Since it was founded in 2011, Longitude has experienced rapid growth and now has a team of 33 based in its London offices. In 2016, it was recognised as one of the Leap 100, the UK’s fastest-growing companies according to City AM and Mishcon de Reya and, in 2017, it was chosen as one of the FT1000, the 1000 fastest-growing companies in Europe. Longitude has more than 40 multinational clients spanning sectors including professional services, financial services, technology, and industrials and manufacturing.