Dentsu Aegis Network has acquired a majority stake in Barnes, Catmur & Friends (BC&F) New Zealand, in a move designed to strengthen creative capability for Dentsu Aegis Network in the New Zealand market.
BC&F founders Daniel Barnes and Paul Catmur, CEO and ECD respectively, will remain in their roles as leaders of the newly named BC&F Dentsu and will continue to be supported by the existing BC&F management team including General Manager, Luke Farmer.
Barnes is happy with the pairing.
“Dentsu has impressed us with their new approach to agency networks and their desire to let us continue with the freedom to do what we do best,” said Barnes. “Joining Dentsu Aegis Network gives us access to great talent, services, tools, data and technology both locally and from the global network.”
Founded in 1996, BC&F has 31 staff in Auckland and will be the flagship creative agency brand of Dentsu Aegis Network New Zealand and the first Dentsu offering in the market.
According to the Effies index, BC&F is currently recognized as New Zealand’s most effective independent agency and is ranked number one in Asia Pacific,
“Bringing BC&F into the group really strengthens our proposition in New Zealand, provides our clients with a high quality creative capability for the first time in the market, and extends the reach of the Dentsu agency brand across the Asia Pacific region,” said Nick Waters, Asia Pacific CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network.
Takaki Hibino CEO Dentsu and Dentsu media Asia Pacific added, “This exciting new acquisition means we now have strong presence in New Zealand, expanding our network in the region and becoming the first Dentsu agency in New Zealand. We look forward to working closely with BC&F Dentsu and, with the newly acquired BWM Dentsu, we will be able to offer our clients creative excellence in ANZ.”
Rob Harvey, New Zealand CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network said, “I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Barnes, Catmur & Friends into Dentsu Aegis Network. I have long admired the work of the BC&F team and the addition of the agency to our group is a significant step towards achieving our strategic goals in New Zealand.”
Harvey added: “Their business is very complementary to our group from both a capability and cultural perspective. We have no desire to change the things that have made BC&F so successful in the past. Daniel, Paul, and Luke are great leaders and I look forward to working with them to achieve our ambitions for both BC&F Dentsu, and the wider Dentsu Aegis Network group in New Zealand.”
