Seven figure MBO as agency targets international expansion
The management team at brand communications agency Brawl has completed an MBO.
The deal which sees managing partners Brodie Harkess and Martin Jones complete the acquisition of the Leeds-based agency from founders Mark Platts and Mike Scott for a seven figure sum, follows the pair taking an initial 50% equity stake in the business in 2015.
Following the deal Platts and Scott have left the business which was founded 34-years ago as a production company called Mezzo Films.
Harkess and Jones now plan to accelerate plans for growth following a series of client wins in the UK and US over the last 18 months which saw the business have its most successful year on record with a 57% increase in turnover on 2019.
The business is now actively seeking new offices in America to serve its growing client base, having moved to new offices in Leeds and undertaken a six-figure investment to upgrade the office and studio facilities.
Jones said: “We have evolved Brawl over the last five years to become a brand communication agency that provides strategic planning and content creation to some of the biggest brands in the world. The completion of the MBO will allow us to accelerate our plans for international growth and better serve our clients across the globe.”
Harkess added: “We have exciting times ahead. In the past few months, we’ve expanded our team and international capabilities to meet increased demand, and we’re looking at opening our first office in the US. It’s clear that demand from strategy-led content-driven communications is growing wherever you are in the world.”
