London Launch
One of the UK’s biggest independent regional advertising and marketing services Groups, Golley Slater, which represents many of the UK’s biggest marketing brands such as TK Maxx, Twinings, Mitsubishi Motors, Furniture Village, COI, Greggs, Canon, P&G, Spam, Tiger Beer & The British Army, is to invest over £2.5million as it moves its HQ from Cardiff into London at the start of February and considers floating on the stock market, following a major review, led by CEO Chris Lovell.
The 50 year old marketing services group, has confirmed it has begun interviewing prospective advisers as it takes its first steps towards a potential £75m-£100m float. Both the Daily Telegraph and Daily Express have published interviews in their business sections with Chief Executive Chris Lovell in the last few days.
Chris Lovell, who owns just over half of the business, said:"We are beauty parading advisers at the moment. We're seeing four. We think we are a £50m market cap business. We would like to be in the £75m to £100m bracket before a float and we could do that within two years or less. We are looking at different options and an IPO is a serious one."
The review has also seen Golley Slater restructure its advertising and PR businesses into two national divisions, promoting Cardiff advertising MD Mike Leeson to overall Divisional Advertising Managing Director at Golley Slater. Birmingham Advertising CEO Ken Copson becomes Divisional Chairman of the Advertising agency at Golley Slater.
The new structure, which comes into immediate effect, is all part of the agency’s move in to London, says CEO Chris Lovell, who acquired Golley Slater in an MBI in 2003.
“We are investing over £2.5million on our move into a 6 storey building at 12 Margaret Street in London”, Lovell revealed. “80% of the advertising decision’s are made in London and we are increasingly working on more and more national work. It is the logical next step for the business. We see it as the tipping point for Golley Slater”, added Lovell.
Golley Slater, which is also set to launch its new strap line and ethos - A Return on Inspiration - to coincide with the review and move into London, was formed in 1957 in Cardiff. It has become one of the most successful regionally HQ’d national marketing Groups in the last few decades working on major national and regional campaigns. Group turnover has leapt from £30million to £60million in the last 3 years, since Lovell, Simon Freethy and Andrew Tillard, completed an MBI acquisition. The company has consistently posted profits of over £2million pa, which has created the platform for its move into London and funded a raft of acquisitions in the last 3 years. These include Push Digital, McCann Erickson Results Marketing, Northern Profile, Mad Avenue and Talented, all of which have been re-branded to Golley Slater.
“Our new London office will clearly demonstrate that we have arrived in London”, says Lovell.
“We are a major player in the regions and we have perfected our ROI model around the regions in our 11 UK offices. We are now doing the same thing in London. We view London as another region, albeit a significant one which offers huge potential to a company like Golley Slater. As a Group we already work on national and regional campaigns for the likes of TK Maxx, Twinings, Mitsubishi Motors, Furniture Village, COI, Greggs, Canon, P&G, Spam, Tiger Beer, The British Army and many other household names. We hope to build on this impressive client bank with a London presence”.
Leeson and Copson will join Golley Slater’s Group Operations Board with immediate effect. The restructure also sees Jan Buckingham and Martin Long promoted to the Group Operations Board, as Divisional PR chairman and Divisional PR Managing Director respectively. They join Chris Lovell, Group CEO, Alan Jones, Group Finance Director & Nick Brown, Group Comms and PR Development Director on the Golley Slater Group Operations Board.
“This is a big move for Golley Slater, both physically and mentally. It is a considerable step change for the business”,
The 50 year old marketing services group, has confirmed it has begun interviewing prospective advisers as it takes its first steps towards a potential £75m-£100m float. Both the Daily Telegraph and Daily Express have published interviews in their business sections with Chief Executive Chris Lovell in the last few days.
Chris Lovell, who owns just over half of the business, said:"We are beauty parading advisers at the moment. We're seeing four. We think we are a £50m market cap business. We would like to be in the £75m to £100m bracket before a float and we could do that within two years or less. We are looking at different options and an IPO is a serious one."
The review has also seen Golley Slater restructure its advertising and PR businesses into two national divisions, promoting Cardiff advertising MD Mike Leeson to overall Divisional Advertising Managing Director at Golley Slater. Birmingham Advertising CEO Ken Copson becomes Divisional Chairman of the Advertising agency at Golley Slater.
The new structure, which comes into immediate effect, is all part of the agency’s move in to London, says CEO Chris Lovell, who acquired Golley Slater in an MBI in 2003.
“We are investing over £2.5million on our move into a 6 storey building at 12 Margaret Street in London”, Lovell revealed. “80% of the advertising decision’s are made in London and we are increasingly working on more and more national work. It is the logical next step for the business. We see it as the tipping point for Golley Slater”, added Lovell.
Golley Slater, which is also set to launch its new strap line and ethos - A Return on Inspiration - to coincide with the review and move into London, was formed in 1957 in Cardiff. It has become one of the most successful regionally HQ’d national marketing Groups in the last few decades working on major national and regional campaigns. Group turnover has leapt from £30million to £60million in the last 3 years, since Lovell, Simon Freethy and Andrew Tillard, completed an MBI acquisition. The company has consistently posted profits of over £2million pa, which has created the platform for its move into London and funded a raft of acquisitions in the last 3 years. These include Push Digital, McCann Erickson Results Marketing, Northern Profile, Mad Avenue and Talented, all of which have been re-branded to Golley Slater.
“Our new London office will clearly demonstrate that we have arrived in London”, says Lovell.
“We are a major player in the regions and we have perfected our ROI model around the regions in our 11 UK offices. We are now doing the same thing in London. We view London as another region, albeit a significant one which offers huge potential to a company like Golley Slater. As a Group we already work on national and regional campaigns for the likes of TK Maxx, Twinings, Mitsubishi Motors, Furniture Village, COI, Greggs, Canon, P&G, Spam, Tiger Beer, The British Army and many other household names. We hope to build on this impressive client bank with a London presence”.
Leeson and Copson will join Golley Slater’s Group Operations Board with immediate effect. The restructure also sees Jan Buckingham and Martin Long promoted to the Group Operations Board, as Divisional PR chairman and Divisional PR Managing Director respectively. They join Chris Lovell, Group CEO, Alan Jones, Group Finance Director & Nick Brown, Group Comms and PR Development Director on the Golley Slater Group Operations Board.
“This is a big move for Golley Slater, both physically and mentally. It is a considerable step change for the business”,