STAMFORD, Conn., Oct. 11, 2011—Affinion Group, Inc. (“Affinion” or the “Company”), a global leader in the designing, marketing and servicing of comprehensive customer engagement and loyalty solutions that enhance and extend the relationship of millions of consumers with many of the largest and most respected companies in the world, announced today that it has expanded its geographic footprint through the launch of operations in Brazil. With the inclusion of this fast-growing market to its existing presence, the Company is able to provide innovative, best-in-class programs in consumer savings, privacy, protection and loyalty solutions to its clients in 17 countries across 4 continents.
In connection with this launch, the Company has named two of Affinion’s most experienced international executives to launch the new operation. Michael Fahey, formerly Senior Vice President of Affinion International, has been named as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Administrative Officer of Affinion International Brazil. In addition, Jonathan Seem, currently country head for Affinion International Spain, will retain that role in addition to serving as interim country head for Brazil. Fahey will be based out of the Company’s newly opened offices in Sao Paulo.
“Over the past five years, the expansion of our international business has been one of our strategic priorities, and with today’s announcement, we are pleased to be setting the foundation for what should become our next phase of growth outside of the US,” said Nathaniel J. Lipman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Affinion Group.
“Brazil is an excellent fit for us, as consumers here place a high value on attaining and using loyalty rewards and there are significant prospects in vertical markets where Affinion already has both extensive experience and a history of delivering meaningful results,” said Rick Fernandes, President of Affinion and Chief Executive Officer of Affinion International. “Starting today, Affinion International Brazil is prepared to provide a full range of services in loyalty and customer engagement, and we are excited to begin working with the great companies in this market to enhance and extend the relationships they enjoy with consumers.”
Brazil supports one of only three economies in the world, along with the United States and China, generating more than $1.5 trillion in annual GDP across a population of more than 100 million geographically-diverse consumers. Its attractiveness as a market is further enhanced by a stable political environment and a growing middle class. In addition, the country’s economy has grown consistently in recent years while experiencing only moderate inflation and its sophisticated banking system provides a supportive environment for the Company’s infrastructure needs in both customer acquisition and billing.
Fernandes continued, “Today’s announcement represents our first market launch in the highly attractive Latin American territories, and we hope to leverage our experience and knowledge from this market elsewhere in the region.”
Affinion’s decision to enter Brazil is the result of extensive research conducted with one of the world’s leading consultants on geographic expansion, and follows the Company’s previous expansion into the Finnish market in 2010 and the Spanish market in 2009.
About Affinion Group
As a global leader with almost 40 years of experience, Affinion Group (www.affinion.com) enhances the value of its partners’ customer relationships by developing and marketing loyalty solutions. Leveraging its expertise in customer engagement, product development and targeted marketing, Affinion provides programs in subscription-based lifestyle services, personal protection, insurance and other areas to help generate increased customer loyalty and significant incremental revenue for more than 5,550 marketing partners worldwide, including many of the largest and most respected companies in financial services, retail, travel, and Internet commerce. Based in Stamford, Conn., the company has approximately 4,250 employees and markets in 17 countries globally. Affinion holds the prestigious ISO 27001 certification for the highest information security practices, is PCI compliant and Cybertrust certified.