Bryan, Garnier & Co advises Vanksen, an independent digital-native marketing agency, on its sale to Datawords
Context
Founded in 2001, Vanksen is a digital-native agency with expertise in social media, SEO, social data and e-reputation, strategic consulting and digital implementation.
With proactive management from CEO and co-founder Xavier Lesueur and support from Quilvest Private Equity, Vanksen has strengthened its business in digital expertise, adding customer loyalty, data and user experience departments and opening agencies in Paris, Metz, Bordeaux and Brussels.
Vanksen operates in 4 countries through 6 agencies and has developed a diversified, loyal customer base of around 160 organizations, including blue-chip companies and SMEs who are all leading players in their respective market.
Transaction highlights
Bryan, Garnier & Co acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Vanksen’s shareholders and management on the transaction.
Bryan, Garnier & Co succeeded in creating a competitive dual-track process involving financial sponsors and strategic bidders that significantly improved deal terms for shareholders and management.
By combining Vanksen’s digital expertise with Datawords’ ability to adapt brand strategies internationally, the combined entity, with over €50m in revenues, will be able to extend its technical and multi-cultural service offering, and broaden its customer base worldwide.
The transaction marks another landmark deal for Bryan Garnier’s Digital & Media franchise.
About Vanksen
Vanksen is a digital-native agency with proven expertise in digital and web marketing services. Through its ability to understand, manage and optimize the potential of digital media to reach audiences, Vanksen has become a strategic partner for solving its clients’ communication challenges. Established for over 15 years, Vanksen has 6 agencies – in Luxembourg, Paris, Metz, Bordeaux, Geneva and Brussels - 160 customers, and 90 employees specialized in marketing and digital communication.
About Datawords
Founded in 2000, Datawords is specialized in optimizing, updating and ensuring the seamless deployment of international digital campaigns, adapting communications to each country while respecting a brand’s international image. Datawords has presences in European, Asia and the US, leveraging the multiculturalism of its 500 employees, who represent 40 nationalities and speak 50 different languages.
About Bryan, Garnier & Co
Bryan, Garnier & Co is a European, full service growth-focused independent investment banking partnership founded in 1996. The firm provides equity research, sales and trading, private and public capital raising as well as M&A services to growth companies and their investors. It focuses on key growth sectors of the economy including Technology, Media & Telecoms, Healthcare, Smart Industries & Energy, Consumer, Brands & Retail and Business Services. Bryan, Garnier & Co is a fully registered broker dealer authorized and regulated by the FCA in Europe and the FINRA in the U.S. Bryan, Garnier & Co is headquartered in London, with additional offices in Paris, Munich and New York. The firm is a member of the London Stock Exchange and Euronext.
Deal team
Guillaume Nathan
Partner
T: +33 1 56 68 75 27
Clément Decante
Analyst
T: +33 1 56 68 75 62
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