Takeover rumours... the story continues: Predict the top-5

The market research industry continues to be turbulent. Or at least the internet has various articles on the latest move of WPP (for whatever they're worth: all of them have the same source....) Yesterday John Kivit of Multiscope's blog had an interesting (Dutch) post on the consolidation in the industry. John referrers to the ESOMAR ranking of research firms. So let me start with the question: Can you predict what the top-5 ranking of Market research firms will look like in 2009? Anyhow, back to today: this morning, Reuters reports that WPP tries to put pressure on TNS to engage in talks over a possible offer. "We are surprised and disappointed that the board of TNS has rejected our offer proposal within 24 hours of receipt" Sorrell said in a statement. The Guardian reports this morning that TNS hit back, with a spokesman saying: "It doesn't take long to reject a derisory offer." The Future Well, I guess we all will be facing a completely different industry in one year from now: The 2007 ESOMAR industry report also predicts that consolidation continues. Of the research firms ranked in the top 25 ten years ago, 12 have been acquired by the firms on the 2006 list, and replaced by another 13. So should you want to know, here's the top-10 of 2006 (latest available): 1 Nielsen (USA) 2 IMS Health (USA) 3 TNS (UK) 4 Kantar (UK) 5 GfK (Germany) 6 Ipsos (Germany) 7 Synovate (UK) 8 IRI (USA) 9 Westat (USA) 10 Arbitron (USA) Can you predict what the top-5 will look like in 2009?