Aimia (company)

Aimia Inc.
Public
Traded as TSX: AIM
Industry Management
Predecessor Groupe Aeroplan Inc.
Founded 2011
Headquarters Aimia Tower, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 Robert E. Brown (Chairman), David Johnston (Group Chief Executive) [1]
Products Data-driven marketing and loyalty analytics
Website aimia.com

Aimia, formerly Groupe Aeroplan,[2] is a marketing and loyalty analytics company based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Aimia manages various loyalty programs including Aeroplan in Canada and provides loyalty strategy, program development and management services to clients. Aimia Inc. also owns stakes in loyalty programs, such as Club Premier in Mexico, Air Miles Middle East and Think Big, a partnership with AirAsia and Tune Group. It is publicly listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.[3]

History

Aimia was incorporated on May 5, 2008, succeeding Aeroplan Income Fund. From October 5, 2011, it conducted business under the Aimia brand name and on May 4, 2012, changed its name to Aimia Inc.[4]

Business Structure

Aimia previously operated in three regional business segments: Canada, the United States and Asia-Pacific ("US & APAC"); Europe; and Middle-East and Africa ("EMEA").[5] From January 2016 onward, it moved to three lines of business - global loyalty solutions, Americas coalitions, and international coalitions.

In Canada, Aimia owns and operates the Aeroplan coalition loyalty program.

Internationally, Aimia owns Air Miles Middle East, a coalition loyalty program in the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, through a 60% ownership interest.

Aimia provides analytics and insights services in the UK and internationally to retailers and their suppliers, through ISS and its 50% participation in i2c, a joint venture with Sainsbury's.

Aimia holds a 48.9% interest in, and jointly controls with Grupo Aeromexico, PLM, owner and operator of Club Premier, a Mexican coalition loyalty program. Additionally, Aimia holds investments in Travel Club (Spain), Think Big, the owner and operator of BIG, AirAsia and Tune Group's loyalty program, and China Rewards, a Chinese-based retail coalition loyalty program, as well as minority interests in Cardlytics, a US-based publicly-traded company operating in card-linked marketing for electronic banking, and Fractal Analytics, a provider of advanced analytics.[4]

Globally, Aimia provides analytical tools as well as loyalty services, including loyalty program strategy, design, launch, and operation.

General Development of the Business

2005: Aeroplan completes its IPO as an income trust.

2007: LMG acquisition includes Nectar and LMG's Insight and Communication (I&C) business.[6] Air Miles Middle East is also acquired.

2008: Aeroplan becomes Groupe Aeroplan.

2009: Carlson Marketing is acquired.[7]

2010: Groupe Aeroplan launches Nectar Italia and invests in Club Premier.

September 2011: Acquisition of minority equity position in Cardlytics.

October 2011: Groupe Aeroplan becomes Aimia

September 2012: Aimia and Sainsbury's form Insights 2 Communication LLP ("i2c"), a joint venture which offers suppliers multi-channel marketing solutions in and around Sainsbury's stores and online.

September 2012: Aimia acquires EIM – Excellence in Motivation.

November 2012: Aimia and Points International Ltd., owner and operator of the loyalty platform Points.com, entered into a binding agreement to make a minority investment in China Rewards, a Shanghai-based retail coalition loyalty program start-up.

2013: Aimia acquires Smart Button and 100% of Nectar Italia. Aimia also invests in ChinaRewards and launches Axis Bank.

September 2013: Aimia entered into ten-year financial credit card agreements with each of TD and CIBC, effective from January 1, 2014.

February 2014: Aimia, AirAsia and Think Big Digital formed a partnership to grow the AirAsia BIG Loyalty Program

April 2014: Aimia acquired a 25% stake in Travel Club (Spain), becoming a joint owner of Travel Club alongside Iberia, Repsol and Eroski.

August 2014: Aimia formed a partnership with Fractal Analytics, a provider of advanced analytics.

December 2014: Aimia acquired Zed Inc. Ltd., a provider of SaaS behavioural segmentation solutions and consulting services focused on store management, ecommerce, buying and merchandising, and product category management.[4]

May 2017: Air Canada announced it plans to launch a new loyalty program to replace Aeroplan as its loyalty program in 2020.[8][9]

January 2018: Sainsbury's announced that it had paid £60m for the acquisition of the shares of Aimia Inc's UK business, to include all assets, colleagues, systems and licences required for the full and independent operation of the Nectar loyalty programme in the UK.[10]

July 2018: Air Canada, TD Bank, CIBC, and Visa make an offer to buy Aeroplan from Aimia.[11]

August 2018: Aimia rejects the offer from Air Canada, TD Bank, CIBC, and Visa, and unveils 3 new airline partners to replace Air Canada: Porter Airlines, Air Transat and Flair Airlines.[12] On August 21, 2018, Aimia agreed to sell Aeroplan to Air Canada, TD Bank, CIBC and Visa.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Aimia Names David Johnston Group Chief Executive", AIMIA website
  2. ↑ October 5, 2011, "Groupe Aeroplan Adopts New Name and Global Brand Identity", Newswire Canada
  3. ↑ "Investor FAQ", AIMIA website
  4. 1 2 3 "AIMIA Annual Information Form for the Financial Year Ended December 31, 2014" (PDF). aimia.com. March 20, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Aimia reports second quarter 2015 results".
  6. ↑ "Aeroplan snaps up Nectar for £368m". The Telegraph. 4 December 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  7. ↑ Carlson Marketing Sold to Groupe Aeroplan for $175 Million
  8. ↑ "Galleries Aimia shares crash after Air Canada parts ways with Aeroplan loyalty program". 11 May 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  9. ↑ Deveau, Scott (11 May 2017). "Air Canada to Cut Ties With Aeroplan and Start Own Loyalty Program". Bloomberg Markets. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  10. ↑ https://about.sainsburys.co.uk/investors/regulatory-news
  11. ↑ https://business.financialpost.com/news/fp-street/air-canada-td-bank-cibc-visa-offer-to-buy-aimia-aero
  12. ↑ https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/aimia-adds-air-transat-flair-airlines-to-list-of-new-aeroplan-partners-1.4043020
  13. ↑ "Air Canada, TD, CIBC, Visa and Aimia Reach Agreement in Principle for Acquisition of Aeroplan Loyalty Business". Retrieved 21 August 2018.
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