Ipsos sets its sights on faster growth with AI-led strategy reset

MUMBAI: Reading the room just got more ambitious. Global market research firm Ipsos has unveiled a new long-term strategy aimed at putting the company back on a sustained growth track, with artificial intelligence and speed of delivery at the heart of its plans.

Unveiled at the company’s Investor Day, the strategy has been led by Ipsos chief executive Jean Laurent Poitou and approved by the board. The plan lays out clear financial and operational targets, including annual organic growth of 5 per cent or more by 2028 and a record operating margin of 13.5 per cent in the same year.

The roadmap marks a decisive shift for Ipsos as it looks to adapt to a market being reshaped by technology, faster decision cycles and rising client expectations. At its core is the ambition to position Ipsos as the world’s leading AI-augmented market research company.

The strategy rests on six key pillars designed to sharpen Ipsos’ competitive edge while preserving what it sees as its core strengths: rigour, reliability and access to real human insight.

The first pillar focuses on extracting more value from Ipsos’ broad portfolio of services. Operating as a multi-specialist, the company offers research solutions across sectors, subjects and geographies. Going forward, Ipsos plans to more actively scale services with the strongest growth potential, rather than spreading resources evenly.

Second is a renewed push to strengthen global operations while retaining strong local expertise. With a presence in 90 countries, Ipsos plans to accelerate the rollout of global platforms and services, while deepening the capabilities of local teams to ensure insights remain contextually relevant.

The third pillar addresses speed, an increasingly critical demand in the insights industry. Ipsos says it will rework platforms and processes so that insights can be delivered in real time for some projects, and within 48 hours for most others, without compromising methodological robustness.

Artificial intelligence forms the fourth pillar and is positioned as a key differentiator rather than a cost-cutting shortcut. Ipsos plans to step up AI investments to improve productivity, agility and speed, while maintaining data quality and analytical depth.

The fifth pillar centres on proprietary panels. Ipsos argues that direct access to real respondents remains a critical competitive advantage, particularly as synthetic data and AI-generated modelling become more common. Reliable panels, the company says, are essential both for tracking real behavioural change and for responsibly deploying AI.

Finally, Ipsos wants to sharpen its role as a decision-making partner. By turning complex data into clear, actionable insights, the firm aims to be indispensable to clients making rapid, high-stakes decisions.

Backing the strategy is a sizeable investment programme. Ipsos plans to invest more than €1 billion over the next five years in technology, AI and data capabilities, largely funded through free cash flow. A significant portion of this will go towards acquisitions and strategic investments, particularly in data integration and analytics.

Training also features prominently, with the company committing to upskilling teams so they can deliver on new platforms, tools and analytical approaches.

“This is a pivotal moment,” said Poitou, noting that advances in technology and AI offer Ipsos a chance to reinforce its operating model rather than replace it. He stressed that the company’s goal is to gain speed and scale while maintaining the trust that underpins its research credentials.

While the long-term targets are ambitious, Ipsos also confirmed its near-term guidance for 2025. Subject to auditor certification, total revenue is expected to be around €2.525 billion, with organic growth of 0.6 per cent. The operating margin at constant scope is projected at 12.8 per cent, or 12.3 per cent after factoring in the temporary dilutive impact of recent acquisitions, including The BVA Family and infas.

Looking further ahead, Ipsos has set out phased goals. Between 2026 and 2028, it is targeting average organic growth of 3 to 4 per cent, with margins rising to 13.5 per cent by 2028. From 2029 to 2030, the aim is to exceed 5 per cent organic growth with operating margins above 14 per cent.

For an industry under pressure from automation, client budget scrutiny and DIY analytics tools, Ipsos’ message is clear: the future lies in blending technology with human understanding. Or, as the company frames it, becoming “Augmented Ipsos” faster, smarter and more AI-powered, but still grounded in people, markets and society.