WPP acquires Medialets in the US

wppWPP announces has acquired Medialets Inc., creator of technology that helps marketers manage and measure the complete return on investment of mobile ad campaigns.   The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Medialets’ clients include American Express, HBO, Johnson & Johnson and SKY Sports television. The company employs almost 50 people and is based in New York with sales operations in Los Angeles, Chicago and London. Medialets was founded in 2008.

UK, London & USA, New York, NY

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Artexis Easyfairs – 5 acquisitions in Q1 2015

artexis easyfairsArtexis Easyfairs has announced 5 acquisition in the first quarter of 2015.

1. Easyfairs acquires Pack&Move Basel
24th March 20145

Artexis Easyfairs, through its Easyfairs Switzerland GmbH subsidiary, has acquired Pack&Move Basel from MCH Messe Basel. Easyfairs plans to bring together the two trade shows Pack&Move Basel and Transport&Logistics Bern, which will be co-located with Easyfairs’ three packaging events in Zürich. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The new Swiss logistics event will take place annually at Messe Zürich, with the first edition on 6th & 7th May 2016, alongside the established packaging events Empack, Packaging Innovations and Label&Print.

Belgium, Brussels & Switzerland, Basel

2. Easyfairs acquires Northeral
20th March 2015

Easyfairs has acquired Northeral, organiser of Algiers based Maghreb Pharma Expo, the largest pharmaceutical technology trade show in Africa. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Matt Benyon, Head of UK and Global at Easyfairs, added, “We were very impressed by the rapid success of Maghreb Pharma Expo. Since its launch in 2012, it has grown to attract 167 international exhibitors and over 1600 visitors. We see great synergies in combining Northeral’s local expertise with Easyfairs’ experience in launching and geo-cloning events.”

Belgium, Brussels and Algiers

3. Easyfairs acquires Tank Storage Magazine
10th March 2015

Easyfairs has acquired Tank Storage Magazine. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Tank Storage Magazine is a publication for the tank storage market, covering breaking news, market analysis, policy and regulations affecting the industry as well as new products and equipment. The print edition is sent to readers in 80 countries globally including Oiltanking, Peter Cremer, BP, Morgan Stanley, Flint Hill Resources, Macquarie and Rubis.

It is a good strategic fit for Easyfairs, which delivers a portfolio of tank storage events. These take place in the bulk liquid storage hubs and strategic ports of Abu Dhabi, Antwerp, Singapore, Hamburg and Rotterdam and include StocExpo, which the company acquired from Horseshoe Media in 2011.

Matt Benyon, Managing Director, Easyfairs UK & Global, said: “When we bought StocExpo it was always part of the strategy to acquire the magazine when the moment was right. Tank Storage Magazine is the most respected and influential publication in the sector so we’re absolutely thrilled to have acquired it. It’s a very natural development and provides great continuity and more marketing opportunities for all those involved in the magazine or events.”

Belgium, Brussels & UK, London

4. Artexis Easyfairs acquires Dry Cargo Europe Conference & Exhibition
10th March 2015

Artexis Easyfairs has acquired the management of the Dry Bulk Conference and Exhibition from the publishers of Dry Cargo International. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The event will be rebranded the Dry Cargo Europe Conference and Exhibition and will open its doors to visitors on 30 September and 1 October 2015 at Ahoy Rotterdam in The Netherlands, alongside Artexis Easyfairs’ trade show for powder and bulk technologies, Solids.

Jason Chinnock and Andrew Hucker-Brown, joint publishers and owners of Dry Cargo International commented,

Bas van Gent, Group Event Director of Artexis Easyfairs said: “Dry Cargo Europe is going to be a great addition to the Solids. The international visitors and delegates will be able to get an overview not only on what is happening in dry cargo logistics, but also in the treatment, storage, handling and processing of powders and bulk solids. We are delighted that we will be welcoming many new exhibitors and delegates to Rotterdam, the world’s fourth largest port complex.”

Belgium, Brussels & The Netherlands, Rotterdam

5. Artexis Easyfairs acquire FACTS
29th January 2015

In late December 2014, Artexis Easyfairs reached an agreement with company Con-Fuse about the acquisition of FACTS, the comics, sci fi and anime festival in the Benelux held annually at Flanders Expo in Ghent, which is also run by Artexis Easyfairs.

Dirk Van Roy, CEO of Artexis Easyfairs Benelux said: “With FACTS, we diversify again within our events portfolio. For several years already, FACTS has experienced significant growth in a segment that is new to us. As a market leader in the organisation of ultimate meeting & market places, our aim is to increase the experience of this close-knit community even more”.

In October 2014, FACTS was organised for the 24th time. Since its inception, FACTS has developed into a successful, 2-day event of 250 exhibitors and 40,000 visitors. It is not only the oldest, but also the biggest comics, sci fi and anime festival in the Benelux.

Emmanuel, Koen, Jörgen en Stefaan will certainly continue to provide their expertise for the next 3 editions of the festival and will be cooperating closely with Artexis Easyfairs Benelux.

The cooperation will start effectively from the next edition of FACTS, which will be the 25th already. This anniversary edition will take place on 26 and 27 September 2015 at Flanders Expo in Ghent.

Belgium, Brussels & Ghent

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Postmedia acquires Sun Media English Language Newspapers and Digital Properties

PostmediaPostmedia Network Canada Corp. has completed is $361M (Canadian) acquisition of Sun Media Corporation’s English language newspapers and specialty publications, as well as digital properties, from Quebecor Media Inc.

quebecor“Today we welcome more than 2,500 new employees and more than 170 new brands, along with loyal audiences and business partners, to the Postmedia family,” said Paul Godfrey, President and CEO. “With the completion of this transaction Postmedia becomes one of Canada’s largest newsmedia companies with even more compelling, made-in-Canada offerings for marketers. For our readers and audiences, we will continue to deliver the content they value most from their favourite Postmedia and Sun Media brands – across all of our platforms.”

To finance the deal, Postmedia issued $140-million of debt subscription receipts and, earlier this month, completed a rights offering that raised $173.5-million. It will also use proceeds from the sale of the Montreal Gazette production facility and some corporate cash to finance the Sun Media purchase.

Quebecor has kept its French-language titles, including Le Journal de Montréal.

Canada, Toronto

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Merkle acquires digital analytics consultancy Pointmarc

MerkleMerkle, a performance marketing agency, has acquired Pointmarc, a digital analytics consultancy headquartered in Seattle, WA. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

pointmarcMerkle’s interest in acquiring Pointmarc was based on its expertise in highly specialised, sophisticated data architecture and engineering, as well as the immediate scale that it will bring to the agency’s existing site analytics and channel optimisation capabilities.

Founded in 2006, Pointmarc has achieved double-digit percentage growth every year since its inception. Clients include Microsoft, Williams-Sonoma, and T-Mobile. The Pointmarc team of more than 100 digital analytics professionals will all join Merkle.

“From a cultural perspective, Pointmarc’s leadership and management philosophy are very similar to Merkle’s own. We were immediately attracted to their high-growth, entrepreneurial spirit and their focus on building long-standing client relationships with top-tier brands,” said David Williams, Merkle chairman and CEO. “With Merkle’s focus on performance marketing and the expanding mid-funnel, Pointmarc’s capabilities in digital data architecture, marketing platform implementation, and site optimization across key industries will perfectly complement the value we bring to our clients’ channel marketing efforts.”

USA, Columbia, MD & Seattle, WA

LRP Conferences acquires education technology events from 1105 Media

LRPLRP Conferences, LLC, an affiliate of LRP Publications, has acquired the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), FETC Virtual Conference, Campus Technology Conference and the Campus Technology Forum from 1105 Media, Inc., a California based multimedia B2B company backed by Alta Communications and Nautic Partners. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

1105Campus Technology Conference, Campus Technology Forum, FETC, and FETC Virtual attract thousands of attendees seeking to understand the future of education technology. FETC, the largest of the four acquired events, hosts more than 9,000 professionals annually.

Ken Kahn, President of LRP Publications, said: “As LRP grows, we continue to seek out innovative products that can help us transform. We know FETC, FETC Virtual, Campus Technology Conference, and Campus Technology Forum can help us do that. With their addition we saw a great opportunity to reach a wider education audience, as well as build on our existing HR Technology market, offering a broader audience to our technology exhibitors.”

1105 Media will continue to operate its publishing and digital products in the education marketplace, including Campus Technology and THE Journal. Mike Eason, President of the 1105 Education Events group will join LRP and continue to oversee the business.

USA, Palm Beach, FL & Irvine, CA

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RWE npower acquires Welsh energy management firm RUMM

RWE_npower endorsed_cmykRWE npower has acquired specialist energy management company RUMM. The Welsh tech firm, which was spun out of the University of South Wales, uses cloud-based data analytics to help businesses monitor and control their energy in real time. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

RUMMAccording to RUMM’s website, the company has saved over £43 million for its customers since it was founded in 2005. npower Business Solutions, which is the second largest supplier of energy to British businesses, will roll out RUMM’s software to its biggest customers in Q2 2015.

Paul Massara, CEO of RWE npower, said: “npower Business Solutions is committed to helping the UK’s largest companies manage their energy needs so they can budget for the future. RUMM’s technology is truly innovative, giving businesses the tools they need to make significant savings on the bottom line.

“This deal represents an important investment in both our energy solutions business and the thriving South Wales tech community. With the right support and incentives, we are confident that Welsh start-ups, like RUMM, will continue to grow, exporting their expertise across the world.”

Developed as the result of work at the University of South Wales RUMM’s proprietary software, IBASS, captures and stores energy usage data every half-hour to identify potential inefficiencies on customers’ sites. The software provides the basis to enable significant energy reduction and has the capability to offer switch-off measures.

UK, Mynach, Wales

CBRE Group to acquire the Global Workplace Solutions Business of Johnson Controls

CBRECBRE Group is to acquire the Global WorkPlace Solutions (GWS) business of Johnson Controls, Inc. GWS is a provider of integrated facilities management solutions for major occupiers of commercial real estate and has significant operations around the world. The purchase price is $1.475 billion, payable in cash, or $1.3 billion net of the present value of estimated tax benefits, and with customary post-closing adjustments for working capital and other items. GWS will operate as part of CBRE’s Global Corporate Services business.

“The exceptionally talented GWS team will greatly enhance our service offering for occupiers around the world,” said Bob Sulentic, president and chief executive officer of CBRE. “With GWS, we further our ability to create advantages for occupier clients by aligning every aspect of how they lease, own, use and operate real estate to enhance their competitive position.”

JOHNSON CONTROLS LOGOGWS, which has approximately 16,000 employees worldwide, generated approximately $3.4 billion of revenue for the 12 months ended December 31, 2014. Upon closing, John Murphy, GWS’s president, will join CBRE as global chief operating officer, GCS.

Together, CBRE and GWS will manage nearly 5 billion sq. ft. of real estate and corporate facilities globally, including 2.3 billion sq. ft. in the Americas, 1.2 billion sq. ft. in Europe, the Middle East & Africa and 1.4 billion sq. ft. in Asia Pacific.

CBRE anticipates that GWS will be materially accretive to its adjusted earnings per share in 2016. It expects to fund the acquisition through a combination of cash on hand and proceeds from the incurrence of debt. The transaction is expected to close in the late third quarter or early fourth quarter of 2015 and is subject to customary regulatory approvals. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP acted as CBRE’s legal advisor.

USA, Los Angeles, CA & Milwaukee, WI

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GSN Games Acquires Idle Gaming 

GSNGamesGSN Games, a provider of social casino games and cash tournaments, has acquired social casino game developer Idle Gaming, whose titles include Fresh Deck Poker, Slots of Fun and Video Poker Tour. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

idlegames“The acquisition of Idle Gaming aligns perfectly with our strategy of leveraging first-rate teams and leading edge technology to create outstanding game experiences for our players,” said Steve Brunell, chief operating officer of GSN. “We are pleased to welcome the top-notch talent of Idle Gaming to GSN Games, and look forward to utilizing our shared talent and technologies to take mobile gaming to the next level.”

Last year, GSN Games acquired Bash Gaming, creator of the hit social bingo game Bingo Bash, which added more than 150 employees and two new offices to the organisation.

USA, San Francisco, CA

WPP’s Xaxis acquires mobile advertising and e-commerce company ActionX

wppWPP‘s wholly-owned operating company Xaxis, a programmatic media and technology platform, is to acquire Action Exchange, Inc., a mobile performance-based marketing business with an e-commerce orientation in the United States.  The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

ActionX’s proprietary mobile-first data, audience targeting and dynamic creative advertising technology allows its clients to engage customers on multiple screens on the path to the point of purchase. Clients include e-commerce and media subscription companies such as Forbes, JackThreads and Hearst. ActionX employs 25 people and is based in New York.

UK, London & USA, New York, NY

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Anthesis Group acquires environmental and sustainability consulting firm TEP

anthesis-logoAnthesis Group has acquired environmental and sustainability consulting firm The Environment Partnership (TEP), its seventh acquisition in 18 months and second overseas. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

TEPTEP, based in the United Arab Emirates, is working across the Middle East and India in Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, Waste and Hazardous Materials Management, Environmental, Health and Safety Auditing.

TEP works for many of the large property development, energy, public and corporate clients in the region. These include Daewoo, Sheraton, HSBC, Aurecon and Aedas.

Stuart McLachlan, CEO of Anthesis Group said: “The Middle East is an important region for us and was becoming a missing component in our corporate presence. We see an emerging need for our specialist skills where resource efficiency and environmental and social awareness are recognised as both risks and opportunities. We have secured an increasing amount of work in support of clients at a city level, with sustainable master planning; at a site and company level with EHS, carbon, water and waste management, and in support of capital projects with environmental and social impact assessments. To meet our strategic aims we need to have our own staff on the ground in strong local markets and in support of our global clients in their operations and their supply chains. TEP brings a strong team, quality client relationships and pipeline, and many years of experience working in the region.”

Enda Colfer, previously Managing Director and Owner of TEP  joins the Anthesis Global Management Team. TEP will trade as Anthesis TEP in the Middle East.

USA, San Francisco, CA & United Arab Emirates, Dubai