MCF advises Deekeling Arndt Advisors’ partners in disposal of majority stake to Havas Group
The partners of Deekeling Arndt Advisors in Communications GmbH (DAA), a leading communications consultancy in Germany, have disposed of a majority interest to Havas Group. Both DAA and Havas have been working together as part of AMO Global, a global partnership of independent corporate and financial communications consultancies offering services in corporate, capital market and political communication in all relevant financial and political centres. Through the transaction, DAA is seeking to increase the share of transnational mandates. MCF advised the DAA partners, including the full range of services, e.g. identification and approach of prospective buyers, structuring of the deal, involvement and information of minority shareholders, due diligence, conduct of negotiations and support of the legal counsel in the contractual documentation.
The Deal
Havas is one of the world’s largest global communications groups. Founded in 1835 in Paris, the Group now employs 20,000 people in over 100 countries. By taking a stake in DAA, it is expanding its portfolio in the strategic communications consultancy segment and meeting needs for increasing demand for complex communications solutions, especially in the digital transformation context.
“With Deekeling Arndt Advisors on board, we are expanding our service portfolio for customers in Germany with a longstanding consulting firm that is closely integrated into the top management’s corporate core processes and its communicative support. Through DAA we will gain additional appeal as a consulting partner” Thomas Funk, Managing Director Havas Europe and CEO Havas Germany, points out.
As shareholders, the DAA partners will remain in charge over the long term and continue to head the company’s operating business. The company name Deekeling Arndt Advisors in Communications GmbH will also remain unaffected.
The Target
Founded in 1995, DAA provides top management of leading national and international companies with success-oriented consultancy services from its offices in Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Berlin with a staff count of 70. The service portfolio embraces communicative support and political flanking of equity market transactions, reputation management, crisis communications as well as communicating change — for example during strategic realignment or in the course of mergers.
In 2016, DAA became the exclusive German partner of the AMO Group — a global partnership for communications on equity markets and strategy with around 1,200 consultants in over 50 offices in more than 30 countries worldwide.
Client Statement
Egbert Deekeling, Senior Partner of Deekeling Arndt Advisors, said: “The involvement of Havas is another milestone in the internationalisation of our business model. Since entering AMO Global one and a half years ago, we have significantly increased the share of transnational mandates. We see large global potential in the consolidation of capital market and change communications which will ensure that transactions are successful in the long run. We will incorporate our expertise and are delighted that Havas will push forward with the further expansion of AMO activities.”
Legal advice to the partners of Deekeling Arndt Advisors in the disposal process was provided by Dr Benjamin Parameswaran and Philipp Clemens of DLA Piper.
About Deekeling Arndt Advisors (DAA) in Communications GmbH
DAA was founded in 1995 and has about 70 employees specializing in consulting services in critical and complex communications issues. Their clients include DAX corporations, MDAX and SDAX companies as well as German Mittelstand in the energy, finance, insurance, transport and traffic, chemistry, IT and telecommunications sectors as well as logistics. DAA’s consultancy spectrum encompasses corporate and public affairs, capital market communications and financial relations, digital transformation together with change and leadership.
