Ready for the island after a success story
PR Trimedia is going British. The Swiss agency group is gaining a parent holding company and a supportive network.
PR Trimedia is becoming British. The Swiss agency group is gaining a parent holding company and a helpful network, although the approval of Huntsworth's shareholders is still pending. But Swiss agency boss Werner Mäder is in no doubt that the takeover of Trimedia will be approved. The PR group, headquartered in Zurich, will become a subsidiary of an up-and-coming British communications holding company. The Huntsworth Group has acquired a number of marketing and communications companies in recent years. Last year, it took over the PR agency Hatch-Group, which has been cooperating with Trimedia for some time. Huntsworth intends to rename Hatch-Group as Trimedia UK, which will give Trimedia new offices in London, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow. The network, which was founded in Zurich in 1981, was previously represented in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and France.
Purchase price not yet definitive Huntsworth will pay up to 24.9 million euros for 100 percent of Trimedia shares. The exact purchase price depends on the agency's performance up to 2006. A portion will be paid out in shares. Together, the existing Trimedia shareholders will become significant shareholders in Huntsworth, according to a press release. According to Werner Mäder, however, it is not yet possible to say how large their share will be. The first tranche of the purchase price includes Huntsworth shares for 2.4 million euros. At the current share price, that is around 3.5 percent. Huntsworth has left it open as to whether it will make the final payment in cash or in additional shares. According to calculations by Werbewoche, this could be up to 35 additional percent.
Trimedia's new familyThe Huntsworth holding company in London had a turnover of around 33 million euros last year. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange. The group comprises the PR agencies Counsel, EHPR, Harrison Cowley, Haslimann Taylor and Hatch-Group, the corporate identity agency Woodside Communications, the brand agencies HMI and Stephanie Churchill, the pharmaceutical marketing specialist PBC and the Global Consulting Group for financial communications. (sm)
Stefano Monachesi
Purchase price not yet definitive Huntsworth will pay up to 24.9 million euros for 100 percent of Trimedia shares. The exact purchase price depends on the agency's performance up to 2006. A portion will be paid out in shares. Together, the existing Trimedia shareholders will become significant shareholders in Huntsworth, according to a press release. According to Werner Mäder, however, it is not yet possible to say how large their share will be. The first tranche of the purchase price includes Huntsworth shares for 2.4 million euros. At the current share price, that is around 3.5 percent. Huntsworth has left it open as to whether it will make the final payment in cash or in additional shares. According to calculations by Werbewoche, this could be up to 35 additional percent.
Trimedia's new familyThe Huntsworth holding company in London had a turnover of around 33 million euros last year. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange. The group comprises the PR agencies Counsel, EHPR, Harrison Cowley, Haslimann Taylor and Hatch-Group, the corporate identity agency Woodside Communications, the brand agencies HMI and Stephanie Churchill, the pharmaceutical marketing specialist PBC and the Global Consulting Group for financial communications. (sm)
Stefano Monachesi
