Stagwell adds In The Company Of Huskies to its pack in latest agency buyout
The deal, for an undisclosed sum, will see the Irish creative shop renamed and rolled into the group’s Swedish network, Forsman & Bodenfors.
Irish agency In The Company of Huskies is joining Forsman & Bodenfors / Unsplash
Dublin-based agency In The Company Of Huskies is being acquired by Stagwell-owned Swedish network Forsman & Bodenfors, The Drum can reveal.
Huskies is one of the most prominent agencies in Ireland – and represents a rare foray into the creative agency sector for digitally focused Stagwell.
Its clients include Nissan, Allianz and Ireland’s tourism body Fáilte Ireland. Upon completion of the deal, it’ll be rebranded as F&B Huskies.
Mark Penn, chairman and chief exec of Stagwell, said that “Huskies has built a powerful digital-first operation that we believe will complement the creativity and communications expertise at Forsman & Bodenfors at a time when the agency’s momentum is building worldwide.”
Toby Southgate, Forsman & Bodenfors' global chief executive, added: “We are delighted to welcome Huskies to the Forsman & Bodenfors Collective. Our mission is to make ideas that change things, and Huskies has deep digital DNA coupled with the big brand thinking and creative firepower that supports that goal.”
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Southgate highlighted the agency’s “unique approach” and use of behavioural science in its work. “By joining forces, we all at Forsman can only benefit from access to their digital expertise and unique approach to helping brands drive attraction as well as attention in today's crowded market. I'm excited to roll up our sleeves and get started with Jonathan and the team.”
The deal also marks the first push into Ireland for Forsman, which remains heavily oriented towards its home Scandinavian markets.
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Huskies chief executive officer Jonathan Forrest, who will stay on as agency boss, said: “Our ambition is to create the best work in the world for our clients, and if we are to achieve this, alignment with one of the top creative brands in Europe is a key next step in our journey.”
“We've been hugely impressed by the vision and creative expertise of Toby and the Forsman & Bodenfors team, and look forward to the opportunities that working in a collaboration-focused network like Stagwell will open up for our people, our clients and the agency.”