Direct marketing guru Mark Patron is teaming up with former Virgin Cars chief executive Ian Lancaster to launch marketing services investment group Twenty.

The founders aim to build the business around a core of data companies by consolidating the 'smaller' end of the market.

Twenty non-executive director Patron - formerly of Claritas UK and Abacus Europe - and chief executive Lancaster will be joined by directors Charles Perkins, ex-financial controller at British Ensign Estates, and professor Martin Clarke, founder of GMAP and chief executive of Emagination, which provides distribution and marketing planning advice.

The group's acquisition strategy will include direct marketing, data acquisition, analytics and modelling, customer intelligence, market and pricing strategies, customer and contact management, digital printing, new media, channel development and campaign management, and market research. The plan is to provide a focus for disparate strands of the industry, and bring experience to marketing services companies.

Patron comments: "Data is an exciting driver in the direct marketing industry, and it is time someone focused on the smaller end of the data-supply market, as opposed to the bigger agency side."

Twenty will next week be listed on Ofex - the independent stock market specialising in SMEs - to raise funds.