Yorkshire financiers oversee content takeover

Two Yorkshire dealmakers have completed the sale of a leading UK content marketing business to PA Group, the parent company of the Press Association (PA).

Wakefield based corporate finance house fds Corporate Finance brokered the deal, for an undisclosed amount, that saw PA Group acquire an 80% stake in London-based Sticky Content Ltd, a top digital copywriting and content strategy agency, that employs 20 staff plus a number of associates.

fds partner Jo Haigh and Poonam Kaur, director of corporate finance at fds, which also operates out of offices in London and Birmingham, worked alongside Roger Dyson and Sarah Robinson of hlw Keeble Hawson Solicitors’ Sheffield office to secure the sale, which sees PA significantly increase its presence in the content marketing sector.

Roger Dyson, head of the corporate business team at hlw Keeble Hawson, one of the region’s biggest practices with offices in Sheffield, Leeds and Doncaster, said: “We were pleased to be part of a Yorkshire collaboration closing a significant London sale to a major player in the news and information sector. It’s encouraging to see deals like this going through in the current market.”

Jo Haigh, partner at fds, added: “This is a significant deal in the digital media sector – bringing together two companies with outstanding reputations in their respective fields.

“Over 16 years Sticky Content has built an enviable reputation for producing high quality digital content and is a perfect fit for PA whose strategy is to drive the growth of its information and news service through acquisition.

“PA will bring all its content for marketing business under the Sticky Content brand while Catherine Toole, Sticky Content’s founder and former chief executive, remains at the company as its new chairman.”

Catherine Toole, Sticky Content’s former chief Executive and new chairman, said: “The Press Association is the perfect partner for Sticky Content, as the demand for effective, high-quality content soars. Now we can deliver pretty much any kind of content there is.

“We have in common editorial rigour; a shared passion for what digital content can achieve; and a reputation for delivering targeted, intelligent content services. Together we will focus on supporting our clients’ content strategies and demonstrating the measurable return on investment of their content spend.”

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →