ISS Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Discovery Data

NEW YORK (October 29, 2021) -- Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”), a leading provider of corporate governance and responsible investment solutions, market intelligence, fund services, and events and editorial content for institutional investors and corporations, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Discovery Data Holdings, Inc., the holding company which owns Discovery Data, Inc., a globally recognized and trusted provider of data and analytics to the financial services industry. The acquisition is expected to close later this year, subject to customary closing conditions.

Based in New Jersey, Discovery Data’s platform empowers asset and wealth management firms, insurance companies, financial technology companies, and service providers to understand their target markets and to identify, assess, and seize new opportunities. 

“This acquisition is another step in ISS’ continued growth and consistent with our long-standing commitment to deliver industry leading and differentiated data, analytics, and insights covering each segment of the investment process,” said ISS President & CEO, Gary Retelny. “The addition of Discovery Data brings market-leading solutions that will help our clients better support the firms and people directing the flow of assets into investment products across major distribution channels.”

Led by CEO Bob Skea, Discovery Data earlier this year announced a series of new capabilities, including the addition of diversity and inclusion data and predictive analytics models for behavioral intent that further differentiates Discovery Data’s breadth of market intelligence. It also introduced new products and delivery modalities, including MarketSage, an interactive data visualization platform, and expanded APIs and partnerships with leading cloud providers. 

Discovery Data will join ISS’ Market Intelligence (ISS MI) business unit and continue to focus on the expansion of its product suite and client engagement. “We are thrilled to welcome Bob and the entire Discovery Data team to the ISS MI family,” said Ben Doob, Head of ISS MI. “Discovery Data’s focus on data quality, seamless integration options, and the pursuit of new ways to unlock insights for clients aligns perfectly with our mission. Our combined capabilities will provide clients with industry leading intermediary intelligence across major geographies.”

“The entire Discovery Data team and I are extremely pleased to join ISS MI,” said Skea. “We share a common commitment to provide unrivalled data and support and look forward to integrating our platform with ISS MI’s solutions to deliver a new level of data and insights for clients across the globe.” 

To learn more about Discovery Data, please click here.

About ISS

Founded in 1985, Institutional Shareholder Services group of companies (ISS) empowers investors and companies to build for long-term and sustainable growth by providing high-quality data, analytics and insight. ISS, which is majority owned by Deutsche Börse Group, along with Genstar Capital and ISS management, is a leading provider of corporate governance and responsible investment solutions, market intelligence, fund services, and events and editorial content for institutional investors and corporations, globally. ISS operates on an arm’s-length basis and Deutsche Börse has adopted Principles protecting the independence and integrity of ISS’ research offerings. ISS’ 2,000 employees operate worldwide across more than 30 global offices in 15 countries. Its more than 4,000 clients include many of the world’s leading institutional investors who rely on ISS’ objective and impartial ESG and governance research, market intelligence and fund services and data and analytics, as well as public companies focused on ESG and governance risk mitigation as a shareholder value enhancing measure. Clients rely on ISS’ expertise to help them make informed investment decisions.