Manchester digital agency Code Computerlove acquired by MediaCom

Independent digital agency Code Computerlove has been acquired by media communications giant MediaCom.

Manchester-based Code will now trade as part of MediaCom North – a £300m-turnover business employing more than 260 people and providing comms services for a number of large companies in the North West, including MoneySupermarket.com and AO.com.

Following the deal, Code will continued to be led by founders Tony Foggett, Louis Georgiou and Wini Tse, who retain a 25% stake in the business.

MediaCom Manchester MD Paul Cooper will take overall responsibility for the organisation, which will operate from its existing premises in the city centre.

Established in 1999, Code employs a team of 85 and counts global NGO Amnesty International, tech firm Brother and Chester Zoo among its clients.

Code CEO Tony Foggett said: “Over the past few years we have been transforming Code’s offer and operating model to be able to help our clients behave more like startups, continually iterating to create brilliant digital experiences that keep them ahead of their competition.

“We are both businesses that focus on measurable value creation, we just come at this from different parts of the customer journey.”

He continued: “Like Code, MediaCom is focused on outcomes, with data and the consumer at the centre of their decision-making, we have always found we are able to create far more effective platforms for our clients when acquisition and conversion are integrated.

“We already have shared clients and look forward to expanding this further.”

Louis Georgiou commented: “We couldn’t be prouder of the reputation we have sustained over the last 17 years. Being part of the MediaCom Group will help us step up a gear as a business, creating fantastic opportunities for us, our staff and our clients.

“On a personal level, I will relish the learning opportunities that come with being part of a successful global network and I look forward to working with Paul and the team.”

Discussing the deal, MediaCom’s Paul Cooper said: “The acquisition strengthens our ability to provide an offering that is unrivalled in the UK for both scale and sophistication in delivering across the whole marketing ecosystem, and cements MediaCom’s place as industry leaders in the digital space.

“In the last four years we have more than doubled the size of our business and this acquisition gives us a platform to do the same over the next four years.”

He added: “I am delighted to welcome Code into the MediaCom family. This is an incredibly successful and well run business that is a perfect fit for both our offering and our client base. I am thoroughly looking forward to working with Tony, Louis, Wini and the rest of the team.”

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