Moore Kingston Smith advises on AI consultancy Vixen Labs’s sale to House 337
Moore Kingston Smith has advised the shareholders and management of Vixen Labs on its sale to House 337, part of Next 15 Group plc, the London-listed growth consultancy.
Vixen Labs, one of the world’s leading AI consultancies, is a specialist in conversational AI strategy, design and build, with teams in the UK, Germany and the US. An early adopter of this technology since it was founded in 2018 by James Poulter and Jen Heape, Vixen Labs has revolutionised the way businesses and brands communicate with their clients, helping them build customer engagement through voice assistants, large language models, chatbots and social media apps.
With this groundbreaking expertise, Vixen Labs has been well-positioned to capitalise on the recent explosion of interest in the AI market. Its client portfolio includes Amazon, TuneIn, Verizon, Universal Music Group, Reckitt, McDonald’s and Barilla.
This deal marks House 337’s first acquisition since its formation in 2022 through a merger of creative agency Engine Creative with fashion and lifestyle specialist creative agency ODD Group. It will strengthen its expertise with rapidly advancing AI capabilities and will enhance House 337’s offering in the new frontier of AI brand strategy.
When Vixen Labs shareholders decided to consider a transaction, they appointed Moore Kingston Smith Corporate Finance due to the firm’s M&A experience and reputation built over 30 years of working with clients in the media and marketing services sector.
The team, led by Paul Winterflood and Matt Edwards, advised on the sale. David Coates and Sam Talbot from the Moore Kingston Smith M&A tax team provided tax advice.
James Poulter, CEO of Vixen Labs, says: “Joining House 337, one of the UK’s foremost creative agencies, gives Vixen Labs a fantastic opportunity to continue our ground-breaking conversational AI work and help more great brands build the next generation of customer experiences. We have been delighted by the tailored approach delivered by Moore Kingston Smith Corporate Finance, and its expert advice to support us throughout the process.
Phil Fearnley, Group Chief Executive Officer at House 337, says: “Vixen Labs is a fantastic addition to the House 337 collective and one that deepens our AI offer and expands the horizons of customer experience. Our clients will win big from this deal, as we build and share knowledge of conversational AI and its indispensable role in creating long-term relationships between businesses and customers.”
Paul Winterflood, Partner and Head of Media M&A, Moore Kingston Smiths, concludes: “We were delighted to support James, Jen and Vixen Labs as they look to take the next step in their growth journey building on their incredible reputation in the AI space. This transaction has shown that there is considerable demand for innovative agencies working at the forefront of new technologies, and we believe House 337 and Next 15 more broadly, is a fantastic home for Vixen Labs. We look forward to seeing the continued growth of Vixen Labs as part of House 337.”