Oystercatchers sells stake to 4C Associates

Marketing consultancy Oystercatchers has sold a strategic stake in its business to procurement specialist 4C Associates. The full details of the partnership have not been revealed.

The deal aims to help Oystercatchers expand its offer to clients to include new services, such as specialist procurement advice on industry and agency rate card benchmarking and contract negotiation.

Oystercatchers was founded in November 2007 by Suki Thompson (pictured), the former managing director of the Haystack Group, and Peter Cowie, former JWT business development director (MW November 14, 2007).

The new deal will not affect the strategic alliance between Oystercatchers and David Wethey-owned Agency Assessments International.

Thompson says: “In the current climate, more than ever, our clients need us to optimise their marketing budgets, as well as making their new and existing agency relationships work really hard. Our deal with 4C gives us the opportunity to offer our clients both in the UK and internationally, real specialist procurement advice that sits perfectly alongside our market and agency knowledge.”