The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

-d -h -min -sec

Media Dentsu Group

Dentsu Aegis Network marks Indonesia as a priority market with Dwi Sapta acquisition

Author

By Charlotte McEleny, Asia Editor

January 25, 2017 | 3 min read

Dentsu Aegis Network has cemented its commitment to Indonesia as a key market for media in SouthEast Asia in buying leading local independent media agency Dwi Sapta.

Dwi Sapta

Dentsu Aegis Network buys Dwi Sapta

According to Dentsu Aegis, Dwi Sapta is the largest independent media and ad business in Indonesia, with over 400 staff, helping it gain significant scale in the country.

The network gave no details on the cost of the deal but said it was set to be one of the biggest in the history of the industry in Indonesia, once it has closed in the first half of this year.

The move follows a major year for Dentsu Aegis Network in terms of M&A activity, particularly in the digital space, with notable acquisitions including that of data and performance marketing business Merkle.

Dick van Motman, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Southeast Asia, said: “Obviously Indonesia, with its favourable demographics, rapid urbanisation and significant growth levels both in GDP and adspend, is a priority market for us. And whilst looking at how to increase our commitment to this market, one cannot get around the formidable Dwi Sapta Group, built by Pak Adji and his family.”

Founder and CEO of Dwi Sapta Group Adji Watono, and Maya Watono, managing director of Dwi Sapta Group, will join the leadership team of Dentsu Aegis Network Indonesia and report to Harris Thajeb, CEO Dentsu Aegis Network Indonesia. Adji Watono will continue to run the board of Dwi Sapta Group as chairman and Maya will be promoted to CEO of Dwi Sapta Group.

The deal will also strengthen Dentsu Aegis Network’s list of local clients. According the business, Dwi Sapta Group works with around 150 brands, including Indonesia’s largest food manufacturer, Mayora, and Kalbe Pharma, the biggest local pharmaceutical company.

Van Motman, added: “Joining forces made a lot of sense, given the additions it would bring in talent, clientele and service, helping us in our quest to be sufficiently scaled and substantially differentiated. What I particularly like is the strong local flavour of the talent and client base it adds to us. Together with our international network, it provides strong synergies and makes it a truly transformative step for our clients, Dentsu Aegis Network Indonesia and the industry as a whole.”

Media Dentsu Group

More from Media

View all

Trending

Industry insights

View all
Add your own content +