Media Business Group sets up venture with ex-CIA trio

The Media Business Group has launched a joint venture in Manchester with a pitch for the Britannia Building Society’s 4m media buying account.

The new operation, The Media Business North, already has the 2.25m media buying for mail order collectables company Hamilton Collections.

The agency is a joint venture between The Media Business Group and Andy Bartholomew, Paul Wheeler and Declan McKenna who left CIA Media Solutions in May.

The Hamilton Collections account was handled by Paul Wheeler while at Media Solutions. The three have been on “gardening leave” since May, but have been planning the new operation under the name BMW.

It is believed that a number of other London media agencies considered backing the trio, including the Cordiant Group’s Zenith Media.

The start-up is claiming billings of 7m, but neither The Media Business Group nor the three partners were available to identify the client list.

The Media Centre started a Manchester operation last year by backing a TMD Carat (Manchester) breakaway.

Media Analysis, page 14