Dentsu Aegis Network Acquires gyro, Creating the First Fully-Integrated Global B2B Powerhouse

New entity becomes the largest global agency dedicated to the reinvention of business-to-business

NEW YORK– Dentsu Aegis Network today announced the acquisition of gyro, the largest independent global creative agency dedicated exclusively to business-to-business (B2B) marketing.

Following this acquisition, Dentsu Aegis’ successful B2B media agency Interprise, which was launched earlier this year, will be integrated into gyro, firmly positioning Dentsu Aegis as the global leader of the reinvention of B2B with gyro.

With this complementary and powerful combination of creative excellence, media expertise, top thought leadership, data and analytics, as well as vast experience with emerging platforms, the combined gyro entity is now the largest in the world to specifically focus on the important, growing B2B marketing sector.

gyro will remain headquartered in the U.S., the world’s largest B2B market, with an expanded global footprint across the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Spain, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and the UAE.

Launched in 1999, gyro’s mission to create ideas that are humanly relevant has truly resonated with top B2B clients as well as with award-winning talent. Led by global CEO and CCO Christoph Becker, gyro was recently named Advertising Age’s 2016 B2B Agency of the Year. It is also the Business Marketing Association’s 2016, 2015 and 2014 Global B2B Agency of the Year.

The well-received launch of Interprise earlier this year was led by Global President Stuart Giddings. Its services, which will now be combined with gyro, include B2B capabilities in media planning and buying, creative services, search, data, programmatic, events, content, and business traveler-focused out-of-home.

Becker will become Global CEO and CCO for the new combined gyro, while Giddings will become Global Network President, gyro, responsible for client relationships and business development for the combined network. Giddings will report to Becker.

“The B2B sector is undergoing the same fundamental disruption to established rules and ways of working as the consumer landscape. B2B marketers are increasingly looking to like-minded partners to help them navigate this landscape and develop the right insights, strategies, approach and execution across every part of the customer journey. As such, B2B is a critical piece of our overall offering, and the combination of gyro and Interprise will create an unparalleled solution for our clients both in the U.S. and around the world,” said Rob Horler, CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network U.S. “With our shared commitment to fostering an entrepreneurial, ambitious and creative culture, we have complete confidence in the ability of Christoph, Stuart and the teams around the world to come together and create an unparalleled B2B offering to serve our growing global client demand.”

Becker said, “With Dentsu Aegis acquiring gyro, a major global strategic vision is coming together. Together, we are in the perfect position to lead and accelerate the much-needed reinvention of the B2B space through the total integration of creative, media and technological power. Teamed with Dentsu Aegis, gyro will offer even more value to our great client partners and bring bigger wings to achieve their goals and dreams. This is an iconic moment for our clients and all our great talent around the world. It will represent a before and after in the innovation journey to refresh, once and for all, the B2B space on the global stage. Together, Dentsu Aegis and gyro will reinvent the way we see, consume and feel advertising in the business-to-people space.”

Giddings added: “The sheer scale and global importance of the B2B market demands an agency solution that is purpose built to serve it. The complexity and uniqueness of the B2B buying ecosystem requires a truly integrated, global approach built upon genuine B2B audience understanding, vertical knowledge and the very highest quality creative expertise. gyro’s award-winning creative, content and strategic capabilities combined with the deep business audience understanding and digital expertise of Interprise and Dentsu Aegis will deliver exactly that.”

gyro has been majority-owned by an affiliate of Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P. since January 2008. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Notes to Editors:

About Dentsu Aegis Network

Part of Dentsu Inc., Dentsu Aegis Network is made up of nine global network brands – Carat, Dentsu, Dentsu media, iProspect, Isobar, mcgarrybowen, MKTG, Posterscope and Vizeum and supported by its specialist/multi-market brands. Dentsu Aegis Network is Innovating the Way Brands Are Built for its clients through its best-in-class expertise and capabilities in media, digital and creative communications services. Offering a distinctive and innovative range of products and services, Dentsu Aegis Network is headquartered in London and operates in 145 countries worldwide with around 32,000 dedicated specialists. www.dentsuaegisnetwork.com

About gyro

As a global ideas shop, our mission is to create ideas that are humanly relevant. gyro is Advertising Age’s 2016 B2B Agency of the Year and the BMA’s 2016, 2015 and 2014 Global B2B Agency of the Year. Our 600 creative minds in 14 offices work with top companies, including Aflac, Danone, eBay, Google, HP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Jabra, John Deere, Tate & Lyle, TD Ameritrade, Teva, USG and Vodafone. www.gyro.com

About Pegasus

Pegasus is a private equity firm founded and led by Craig Cogut. Since inception in 1996, Pegasus has invested across five private equity funds and currently manages approximately $1.7 billion in assets. The Firm’s principal investment theme is providing strategic growth capital to companies within the middle-market focused on global resource scarcity, particularly energy, waste, food, water and health & wellness.