Founded in London in 1972, the company originally known as International Marketing and Economic Services was the brainchild of Don Moore, a management consultant with extensive experience in both the private sector and with international agencies. Throughout the 1970s, the company was involved in a wide range of international projects throughout the world, working for an exceedingly diverse client base including both multinational companies and organisations such as the Commonwealth Secretariat, the United Nations, the European Commission, Cuba-export, and the China External Development Corporation. At that time, the range of services offered embraced economic forecasting, investment promotion and product development in addition to the market research and consultancy which is the company’s core business today. IMES first Middle East project was a study of the market for mango juice in several countries undertaken in 1975. But as the price of oil rocketed, IMES clients began to focus greater attention on the petro-economies of the Arab world. So while IMES continued to undertake projects worldwide (the firm has worked in 120 countries), the 1980s saw ever more business in the Middle East. To supplement work for private clients, the company also began to produce published syndicated studies: the first study of the soft drinks market in Saudi Arabia was published in 1983, with the first published dairy study following two years later. Now updated every year, these studies are still used throughout these industries today.