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Economist Group acquires Signal Noise to disrupt visual data storytelling for its clients

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By Richard Draycott, Managing Director

October 21, 2016 | 2 min read

The Economist Group has acquired London-based data design studio Signal Noise for an undisclosed sum as it expands its fast-growing content solutions business.

Signal Noise was founded in 2010 by Matthew Falla, Christian Thümer and Hem Patel and the company creates data visualisations, tools and dashboards for clients which include Accenture, EE and Unilever.

Marketing and tech growth consultancy Waypoint Partners advised Signal Noise on the deal and Waypoint co-founder Miles Welch wouldn’t be drawn on whether there were other potential acquirers involved along the way, but did say that The Economist Group were a natural fit for Signal Noise and it became obvious during the process that this was the best deal for the shareholders and for Signal Noise to achieve their growth ambitions.

Initially Waypoint Partners was appointed in October 2015 to offer growth consultancy to the Signal Noise shareholders, focusing on fuelling and managing the growth of the business. This moved in the latter months to preparing the business for exit and managing the sale and acting as lead adviser in the process, which took just four months to conclude.

Elena Sukacheva, EVP and managing director, content solutions and global events at The Economist Group, said: “Marketers choose The Economist Group because we tell engaging stories using facts and data—the sort that provoke meaningful conversations with key audiences. Signal Noise, with its mix of technical and creative talent, will enable us to step up the innovative and disruptive quality of the visual data storytelling we produce for our clients.”

Matthew Falla, managing director at Signal Noise, said: “We’re very proud of everything the Signal Noise team has achieved over the last six years, not only in crafting great work but also in building a culture of collaboration and proactively helping to define a design discipline. Together with our colleagues at The Economist Group, we're incredibly excited by the opportunities this new partnership brings, for our staff and our clients alike, to create cutting-edge content and tools for a data-driven age.”

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