Green shoots of recovery? Q1 2021 M&A activity in the media and marketing services sectors
There have been early signs in Q1 2021 that M&A activity is continuing to pick up in the UK media and marketing services sectors. Moore Kingston Smith’s deal tracker recorded a 20% increase in deal volume for this quarter compared to Q4 2020, suggesting that we may now be entering a period of renewed confidence. Unsurprisingly, digital retained prominence as the most sought-after type of marketing service business and global networks have continued to prioritise strategic acquisitions that help expand their geographic reach and service offerings. There is growing appetite amongst the private equity houses to back creative businesses and we anticipate that the market will become increasingly competitive as we move deeper into the year.