Havas acquires media independent BLM

Havas, the sixth largest marketing services company, has acquired independent media agency BLM for an undisclosed amount. The French company will rename the agency Arena BLM as part of the deal, which aims to increase its UK footprint.

The agency will be run separately from Havas’ existing media network, Media Planning Group, and will form the UK arm of Arena, which was launched five years ago and has a presence in markets including South America, France, Spain and Portugal.

Steve Booth, co-founder and chief executive, and other senior management will continue to run the agency under the terms of the deal. Booth will report into Arena global chief executive Joaquin Bohorquez.

Booth says the media planning and buying company has been considering growth options “for some time”.

The agency was founded as KLBM in 1990 by Booth, Nick Lockett and Alec Kenny. It was renamed after majority shareholder Kenny quit the company in 1993.

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