Zeno Group buys 3 Monkeys

Zeno Group, sister agency of Edelman, has acquired 3 Monkeys Communications for an undisclosed figure.

In the UK, the newly-combined agency will be known as 3 Monkeys | Zeno, with a team of around 75 people. Zeno’s UK team will move into 3 Monkeys office in Soho, London.

3 Monkeys founder Angie Moxham will lead Zeno Europe, while the agency’s MD, Christine Jewell, becomes  MD of 3 Monkeys | Zeno, with a brief to run day-to-day UK operations.

Steve Earl will work with both Moxham and Jewell as MD of Zeno Europe.

Founded in 2003 by “chief monkey” Angie Moxham, 3 Monkeys provides work across consumer, corporate and B2B comms for a range of sectors including healthcare, financial services, FMCG and technology, with campaigns for brands including Anheuser-Busch, Castrol, Lenovo, Microsoft, Morrisons, Standard Life, Starbucks, TGI Fridays and United Biscuits.

Part of Daniel J Edelman (DJE) Holdings, Zeno expanded globally in 2012 with the UK as its European hub. Zeno Asia also launched in 2012. Globally, the agency represents brands and organisations including Bausch + Lomb, CA Technologies, Intel, Merck, Netflix and Quaker.

Moxham said: “This is massive news for us. The board and I believe it’s the best next chapter for the company, all us Monkeys and for our clients. We have been looking at how we globalise 3 Monkeys for a few years now, in response to client demand, including us going on the acquisition trail.

“No route, however, could come close to the capabilities and bandwidth we gain on day one by joining forces with Zeno. We can now support current and future clients with our special monkey magic around the world, with people who think and behave in the same way as us. Importantly, we also remain independent.”

Richard Edelman, chairman of DJE Holdings, said: “We have grown Zeno from a small sister agency in the US to a global, highly respected mid-sized firm, approaching 400 people and nearly $60 million in annual revenues.

“Around a third of Zeno’s revenue is now derived from outside the US. This combination with the additional brilliance of 3 Monkeys accelerates the global expansion of Zeno, which is already delivering game-changing, award-winning work for clients. Bottom line: these are two companies that were meant to be together.”

Barby K. Siegel, CEO of Zeno Group, said: “The acquisition of 3 Monkeys is a major step forward for Zeno as we continue to realise our global ambitions. We are scaling our unique Zeno brand and values so that we can serve clients where they need us, regionally and globally.

“We are big enough to take on the most challenging and complex assignments in the Americas, Asia and Europe, while still giving that personalised, senior-level attention and highly-collaborative approach that clients rely on.”

Pictured left to right: Angie Moxham, Richard Edelman and Barby K. Siegel

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