NEW
YORK and DUBAI, Dec. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/
-- Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built
to transform marketing, today announced it has entered into an
agreement to acquire Create. Group, the Middle East's leading strategic digital
communications group. The company will join Stagwell's Code and
Theory Network, which is designed to partner with businesses to
navigate the complexity of changing consumer behaviors, emerging
technologies and AI.
With 15 years of expertise in digital strategy, products,
content and innovation, Create. Group provides digital strategies
that empower clients such as the Department of Culture &
Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT),
Dubai Department of Economy
(DET) and Tourism, Sony Pictures, Volkswagen Middle East,
COP29, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF)
and NEOM. Create. Group is headquartered in the UAE with additional
offices in Saudi Arabia and
Egypt.
This deal comes as Stagwell cements its presence in MENA with
recent acquisitions of Consulum and LEADERS, and on the heels of
Create. Group winning Campaign's Middle East Digital Agency of the
Year in 2022, 2023 and 2024, Campaign's Middle East Independent
Agency of the Year 2023 and Adweek's Top 100 Fastest Growing
Agencies in 2022 and 2023. Create. Group joins Stagwell's
Code and Theory Network alongside their flagship namesake agency
who was named Ad Age Business Transformation Agency of the Year in
2024 for leading transformation through technology. Code and Theory
Network is the first of its kind with a balance of 50% creative and
50% engineers at scale.
"As a digital leader in the region, Create. Group is a strong
addition for Stagwell in the Middle
East as we pursue global digital transformation for our
clients. Create. Group and the Code and Theory Network share the
same digital-led vision and together, we're the right size to
produce quality, game-changing work that will drive growth at-scale
for brands," shared Chairman and CEO of Stagwell Mark Penn.
Dan Gardner, Founder and
Executive Chairman of Stagwell's Code and Theory Network added,
"Create. Group is at the epicenter of a powerful emerging market
with huge ambitions. The projects in the Middle East are some of the biggest projects
in the world. And Create. Group excels at delivering them having
just won its third digital agency of the year award. They will now
be able to expand their capabilities within Code and Theory Network
to deliver best-in-class results locally and beyond."
"Joining the Code and Theory and wider Stagwell network allows
us to access world-class talent, cutting-edge technology, and a
truly global footprint. This step fuels our growth, empowers our
teams, and ensures we're ideally positioned to help deliver for the
region's most ambitious brands," states Tom
Otton, Founder and CEO of Create. Group.
Otton will continue to lead Create. Group and will be integrated
into Stagwell's Code and Theory Network, now boasting 2,000 team
members worldwide, under Dan Gardner
and CEO Michael Treff's
leadership.
The acquisition comes as Stagwell expands its global footprint
and invests further in strategy and communications at the forefront
of digital transformation. Create. Group is Stagwell's eleventh
acquisition of 2024, following UNICEPTA (Germany), Consulum (MENA), LEADERS (MENA),
Business Traveller (Global), BERA (U.S.), Luxine Relations
Publiques (Canada), PROS
(Brazil), What's Next Partners
(France), Sidekick (U.K.) and Team
Epiphany (U.S.).
About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform
marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world's
most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with
leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of
marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 35+ countries
are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and
improve business results for our clients. Join us at
www.stagwellglobal.com.
About Code and Theory Network
Code and Theory Network
is the only network with a balance of 50% creative and 50%
engineers at scale. The technology-first group within Stagwell is
built to partner with businesses to navigate the complexity of
changing consumer behaviors, emerging technologies and AI. With a
global footprint and the capabilities to work across the entire
consumer journey, we crave the hardest problems to solve. The
network includes the flagship agency Code and Theory as well as
Kettle, Instrument, Left Field Labs, Truelogic, Rhythm, and
Mediacurrent. Code and Theory clients include Amazon,
JPMorganChase, Microsoft, NBC, NFL and Yeti. For more, visit
codeandtheory.com.
About Create. Group
Create. Group is the Middle East's
leading strategic digital
communications group, with a team of 150+ across the UAE,
Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The group consists of Create., the
strategic digital communications agency, and Create. Production,
the content production studio, under one shared mission:
to partner with nation builders and visionary
brands to drive positive cultural and economic
transformation. Together, they deliver award-winning digital
strategy, products, content, and innovation through a culture
focused on driving impact with award-winning quality, at
speed. For more information visit www.creategroup.me or
contact tala.mukaddam@creategroup.me.
Contacts:
Kara Gelber
Stagwell
pr@stagwellglobal.com
Kenneth Hein
Code and Theory
kenneth.hein@codeandtheory.com
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SOURCE Stagwell Inc.