Hearst buys stake in business info firm

March 29, 2012 - Billing the move as a way to keep on top of trends, Hearst has bought a 20 percent stake in business information research firm Stylus Media Group. The two-year-old London-based company employs about 45 researchers, marketers and journalists to serve large corporate clients by conducting research on consumer behaviors.

Stylus was created two years ago to do proprietary research for the interior design industry. It has since expanded to 20 industries, serving over 200 large corporate clients on a subscription-based model.

Hearst Interactive Media president Kenneth A. Bronfin will join the Stylus board of directors. Terms of the deal were not released.