• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, August 26, 2014

WPP’s media management arm GroupM has acquired Keyade, a leading digital search and performance specialist in France. Terms weren’t disclosed. 

Operating autonomously within GroupM France, its business development will be supported by GroupM, the company said. And Keyade will act as a resource to GroupM agencies including KR Media, Maxus, MEC, MediaCom and Mindshare. 

Keyade’s proprietary attribution software for advertisers, called Madmetrics, will be integrated within the data, tools, research and strategic planning offerings of GroupM France, and will be offered to the group’s clients. 

Operational control of Keyade will remain with its three founders, Denis Vaillant, Julien Babin and Antoine Mermet, who founded the online performance marketing agency in 2006. Serving on Keyade’s board will be Pierre Conte, CEO GroupM France, who will also serve as Keyade’s Chairman. Jean-Francois Busnel, CFO of GroupM France, and the two co-executive directors of GroupM Interaction, Alexandra Chabanne and Olivier Mazeron, will also serve on the Keyade board. 

Keyade employs 70 people in Paris and opened a branch in Dubai in 2011. 

CEO of GroupM EMEA, Dominic Grainger, stated: “The acquisition of Keyade in Paris is a part of GroupM’s global strategy to build new models for performance with advertisers. It also shows our commitment to further develop the leadership of GroupM in France.”