MSQ

Operational Optimisation

MSQ is an international digitally rich marketing communications group consisting of:

  • B2B Marketing Agency (SteinIAS);
  • Digital Marketing Agency (twentysix);
  • Direct digital/CRM marketing agency (Stack);
  • Full service advertising agency (The Gate);
  • Brand design packaging agency (Holmes & Marchant) and
  • PR agency (Smarts).
  • Acquired from Lloyds on the back of a turnaround that still required further operational improvement
  • Successfully divested a non-core market research agency and acquired a US B2B agency.
    Agency operating profit margins improved from 8% to 16% from 2014 to 2019.
    The company improved the quality of each agency brand
  • Embedding digital capability across the unified MSQ micro network before a successful secondary buyout that enabled management to continue their journey.

INVESTMENT:

£8 million

FIRST BACKED:

2014

EXITED:

2019

LOCATION:

London, Leeds, M/CR Paris, NYC Singapore,

SECTOR:

Digital marketing

REVENUE CAGR:

30%

EXIT:

Secondary buyout

RETURN:

2.7x