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We’re delighted to announce we have been acquired by Paritee, the holding company set up by Lars Erik Grønntun in 2021 to create a new EMEA agency platform.
Brands2Life will remain a stand-alone brand run by Giles Fraser, Sarah Scales and our team. It is also envisaged that the Brands2Life brand over time will be extended to other markets through this partnership. As part of this deal there are also plans to expand our presence in the US. Jonas Palmqvist, CEO Paritee, will step in as chairman.
As a majority owned employee-owned trust (EOT), the largest in the UK PR sector, everyone who is currently at Brands2Life and has been there for more than eight months will benefit financially, as shareholders, from the sale.
Giles and Sarah comment, “We believe Paritee will be a fantastic partner for Brands2Life’s next chapter. It presents many new opportunities for the agency, our staff and our clients. We like the Paritee ethos which gives us ‘the best of both worlds’ – the ability to stay agile and entrepreneurial whilst helping shape a growing network of like-minded agencies. We also think there are many sectors and services they can help us grow faster. And, crucially, we really like the Paritee team and know we can achieve great things together.”
Paritee was formed in 2021 by Lars Erik Grønntun, formerly Global President of Hill & Knowlton, with a vision to create a new breed of agency network and model for collaboration, one that brings together «National Champion» agencies in each key market and enables them to co-operate for mutual benefit and to provide clients with world-class services and advice, based on deep sector insights.
Paritee is positioned particularly towards agencies which lean heavily into transforming and high-value sectors, including technology, energy, healthcare, mobility and financial services.
In 2022 Paritee acquired leading Scandinavian agency, Geelmuyden Kiese, and is aiming to partner with other «National Champion» agencies in key markets in the years ahead. Paritee is backed by Scandinavian private equity firm, Explore Equity.
Lars Erik and Jonas comment, “Brands2Life is the pre-eminent national champion in UK’s communications industry with an outstanding track-record of success and a unique client proposition. As a scaled operator for more than 20 years Brands2Life has provided hundreds of clients in both Europe and the US with the best strategic advice and award-winning campaigns, taking the centre-stage in the forward-looking, innovative and creative communications world. Partnering with Paritee caters for a cornerstone position for Brands2Life in a growing family of leading European agencies with high ambitions for the future. Together we aim to take the agency to its next level, building the ties between the Nordics and the UK, and offering strengthened strategic support to all clients and more opportunities for people.”
Brands2Life Global Network will continue to operate as normal.
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