Navigator joins forces with The Leith as it becomes latest Cello acquisition
Navigator's management team
Navigator Responsive Advertising, the direct marketing agency that was once a sister company to Faulds, has become a sister agency of The Leith Agency after being acquired by the growing Cello Group in a deal worth £4.6m.The Cello Group was formed in October through the bringing together of The Leith Agency, Target Direct and Insight and floated on AIM just last month.
Speaking hours after sighing the deal Navigator’s founder and chairman Andy Carolan said: “We have been looking for some time to move the business forward. We have looked at buying other companies and we looked at joining with other organisations. We spoke to various parties about these issues and we put in place a number of criteria to ensure we found the right partner. Cello came through on all our criteria and having gone through this process they do seem to be a good bunch of people.”
Operationally, Carolan says, there will be no major changes in the ways the business is run, although it will be incorporated into the direct marketing arm of the group with Cheltenham-based Target.
Navigator will remain in its Dundas Street premises, Yvonne Hutchison will continue as managing director and Tony Bibby will continue as creative director. One or two Cello directors will join the Navigator board.
Carolan added: ““Three years ago we set out to become Scotland’s number one direct marketing company and last year we achieved that in terms of sales, staff and clients. We are totally committed to further growth and we believe that this deal with Cello substantially enhances our long term growth prospects, as it opens up a whole new vista of opportunities for us.”
It is understood that this deal will not affect the status of The Leith Agency’s direct marketing arm Leith Direct, which will continue to handle its own clients.
Mark Scott, Cello Group’s chief executive, said: “Navigator marries Target Direct’s existing strength in direct marketing for charities and the grey market with its equal strength in commercial direct marketing. The combination of the two operations significantly strengthens Cello’s capabilities in the direct marketing sector.”