The Telegraph reckons that Swedish business dynasty the Wallenbergs are one of the likely bidders for WPP’s Kantar, some or all of which is up for auction for an estimated £3bn.
The Wallengergs are the biggest investor in the Swedish stock market with holdings estimated at £250bn. As, essentially, a family-owned investment trust they may be prepared to let WPP retain a stake in Kantar, important as other ad holding companies including Publicis and interpublic add to their data assets.
The Wallenbergs have played a big part in Swedish and European politics. Swedish diplomat Raoul Gustaf Wallenberg (left) is credited with saving tens of thousands of Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary from the Holocaust in World War II. He disappeared after the war, believed to be held captive in Russia.
