RPA commits to strategic relationship with 20/20

US retail specialist Retail Planning Associates has clarified its UK expansion plans and reaffirmed its commitment to its relationship with 20/20, with which it shares a joint marketing initiative.

The group is unlikely to start a UK practice and says it is investing its efforts in the formal strategic relationship it has with 20/20.

RPA was considering a start-up, forming a strategic partnership or acquiring a UK group, as exclusively revealed by Design Week (DW 14 June). It also confirmed it had a list of consultancies it was interested in buying (DW 14 June).

RPA chief executive officer Todd Cameron says the group does not have an acquisitions hit list and is instead focusing attentions on its strategic partner.

‘Our focus is on 20/20. If we were to buy a UK group, 20/20 would be it. We have a strong international business in the Pacific Rim that we want to expand and we feel that 20/20 would do that very well,’ says Cameron.

He says that ‘formal’ talks have not taken place between the two groups with regard to a buy-out.

An acquisition is unlikely to take place this year, according to Cameron.

The two groups share resources, client lists and information, but they have yet to work together on a project-by-project basis. Cameron says there are no formal plans to do so as yet.

‘We are constantly talking about sharing and collaborating closer, but there are no plans to take it beyond a strategic relationship,’ says 20/20 managing director Rune Gustafson.

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