Middle East Consultancy Consulum Acquired By Stagwell
(MENAFN- PRovoke)
RIYADH -
Consulum, the government advisory firm best known for its Saudi Arabiapresence, is to be acquired by US-based marketing communications Network Stagwell.
The deal will add Consulum's 160 professionals to Stagwell's global footprint, across offices in
Riyadh, Manama, Dubai, London, Cape Town, and Kuala Lumpur.
Founded in 2012 by Bell Pottinger veterans Tim Ryan and Matthew Gunther Bushell, Consulum rose to prominence thanks to its work for the Saudi Arabia and Bahrain governments. The firm also briefly hit the headlines after winning the ill-fated 'Relaunch Hong Kong' brief .
Since 2021, Consulum has been led by CEO Ryan Coetzee, a former strategy chief for the UK's Liberal Democrats and South Africa's Democratic Alliance. James Davies serves as managing partner of an operation that has doubled in size over the past three years, bolstered by a focused approach to helping governments overcome critical communications challenges.
“Consulum was formed 12 years ago to answer a clear need for governments, heads of state and their institutions to have access to a dedicated consultancy focused on strategy, communications and policy," said Ryan in a statement. "As a result of that singular focus and mission, Consulum is now a market leader and something I and co-founder Matthew Gunther-Bushell are rightly proud of."
The deal is Stagwell's second MENA acquisition this year, after it purchased influencer marketing agency and technology platform Leaders/Influencer Marketing. The holding group's Middle East presence also features Allison, Assembly Global and Forsman & Bodenfors.
“Our acquisition of Consulum marks a significant step in expanding Stagwell's influence and capabilities in MENA as the region's strategic importance to global marketers continues to grow,” said Mark Penn, chairman and CEO of Stagwell. "With Consulum's expertise and established government relationships, we are poised to offer unparalleled strategic communications services to our clients worldwide while bolstering our unique capabilities in advocacy beyond the US."
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