Dentsu has agreed to divest Merkle’s Salesforce implementation business to the US holding company Enduring Ventures.
The move, which is expected to conclude in Q3, will see 130 staff move across to Enduring Ventures in the third quarter.
Dentsu will retire the Merkle brand in Australia and New Zealand and fold in around 50 staff in its experience, commerce, data and analytics teams.
Merkle ANZ is led by Paul Whittaker and Gareth Reason, who will both move across to Enduring Ventures.
The divestment is part of a broader Dentsu strategy to simplify the group by retiring agency brands—including Carat and iProspect—and operating under Dentsu.
It follows a challenging few years for Merkle. In 2024, Merkle had made more than 100 staff redundant and former practice lead Kim Douglas left the business after only five months. In 2025, Merkle sought to clarify its market proposition under Whittaker and former Dentsu leader Kirsty Muddle.
“Clients are telling us they want a clearer, more direct way to work with us. These changes are about responding to that by sharpening our focus on what we do best and making it easier for clients to access the full strength of Dentsu,” Dentsu ANZ chief executive Rob Harvey said.
“Last week we announced our move to bring our media brands together under one united media proposition. Today’s changes are the next step in our strategy to build a more connected Dentsu across ANZ by integrating experience, commerce, data and technology capabilities into our core business and continuing to invest in what our clients value most.
“I want to thank the Merkle Salesforce team for their contribution to Dentsu over many years. They have built strong client relationships and a business that is well positioned for its next chapter.
“I’m pleased the business will continue to be led locally by Paul Whittaker and Gareth Reason. They have been outstanding partners and leaders for our Merkle business in ANZ. I wish them and the team every success.”
Enduring Ventures is a holding company comprised of 25 businesses across software, home services, hospitality and more.
This acquisition will serve as “a cornerstone of Enduring Ventures’ broader technology strategy”.
