Havas UK Buys Management Consultancy Gate One

Havas Group has announced the acquisition of one of the UK’s leading independent management consultancies, Gate One. The move will add significant new capabilities and reach to Havas’ UK operation which already comprises 10 businesses spanning the marketing services spectrum.

At a time when creative agencies and holding companies around the world are looking to respond to the acquisitions of the large management consultancies, the move represents a significant strengthening of Havas’ UK and international capability.

Gate One’s core mission is to deliver meaningful and sustainable change, working in close collaboration with its clients to conceive the big ideas that will transform their business. Gate One works directly with C-level executives from firms including 20 FTSE companies across life sciences, retail, and travel & tourism, as well as several major government departments.

Yannick Bollore, CEO & Chairman Havas Group said: “Investing in the consultancy space is a bold move that has the potential to unlock huge growth for our Group in the UK and beyond. Meaningfulness is at the core of everything we do at Havas so it is really exciting to find a business like Gate One which truly speaks our language. I’d like to welcome the team on board.”

Gate One will relocate its team of 70-plus digital and business transformation specialists to the Havas Kings Cross Village in London in early 2020. The agency will retain both its established name and leadership team and add its clients to HKX’s growing roster of leading brands.

“New leadership, the power of our Village model and our partnership with Vivendi have transformed our UK business over the past three years,” says Chris Hirst (right in main photo), UK Group and Global CEO, Havas Creative network. “We have been searching for the right kind of business that can bring something completely new. Gate One are a best in class business that will add significant new capabilities and strengthen those we already have. We are delighted they have chosen to join us. As clients are increasingly looking for integrated services, the addition of Gate One to our well-established village model makes our UK offering truly unique.”

Gate One CEO Tim Phillips (left in main photo) added: “We went through a long and rigorous process looking for the right partner to take the next step with our business. That included many household names and the biggest organisations in consulting. Our clients and the broader market are increasingly telling us that they need integrated digital, marketing and business transformation services and it was obvious when we met the team at Havas that we had found our future home.”

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