Dentsu Aegis Network acquires majority stake in Indian data firm Ugam

To cement the transition the combined entity will be known as Ugam, a Merkle company under the continued leadership of co-founder Sunil Mirani who will report directly to Merkle Americas president Craig Dempster.

Dempster said: “Ugam is vital to the execution of Merkle’s multi-year analytics strategy of creating a scaled on- and offshore shared analytics service across Dentsu Aegis Network. With its experienced management team, highly-educated workforce, scale, and vertical market expertise, Ugam will bring high-end analytics capabilities, along with a broad spectrum of analytical decision support. Their focus on the U.S. market and Fortune 500 companies will create many synergies and strengthen our existing relationships, opening opportunities for each of our client portfolios.”

Sunil Mirani, co-founder and chief executive, Ugam added: “We have found the perfect partner in Merkle. We complement each other’s strengths, with Ugam bringing advanced analytics capabilities at scale, and Merkle bringing a diverse client base with a largely in-country presence. Most importantly, the cultural fit was evident from day one, and the effects will be immensely positive for all our stakeholders – customers, employees, and shareholders. This deal marks a significant milestone in Ugam’s journey, and I look forward to this new phase with renewed vigor.”

The US was this morning named as the single most active space for mergers and acquisitions with private equity cash fueling a wave of consolidation.