Media and marketing services Deal advisory | Legal | M&A tax

Moore Kingston Smith advises Haygarth Group on MBO from Omnicom

09 June 2026

Moore Kingston Smith has advised award-winning creative and advertising agency Haygarth Group Limited on its management buyout (MBO) of the Haygarth business from Omnicom.

Founded in Wimbledon, London in 1984, Haygarth specialises in brand activation, helping brands grow by inspiring action at every stage of the customer journey. The agency works with globally recognised brands including Adidas, Disney and Vodafone, delivering enhanced retail experiences through omnichannel shopper marketing and face-to-face experiential campaigns.

Established in New York in 1986, Omnicom is one of the world’s leading marketing and sales companies, providing services across media, precision marketing, advertising and branding, public relations and experiential marketing through its branded networks and specialist agencies.

Haygarth became part of the Flywheel Commerce Network, a division of Omnicom Group, following its acquisition in 2014.

The Haygarth management team, led by CEO Marcus Sandwith, has now acquired a majority shareholding in the Haygarth business from Omnicom, marking the next phase in its growth and independence. Omnicom retains a minority stake in the business.

With this MBO, and through working in close cooperation with Omnicom, Haygarth will benefit from the ability to focus on scale and global reach while maintaining the creative independence that underpins its positioning as a specialist agency.

Omnicom’s buy-out is one of many occurring from holding companies, highlighting a significant trend within marketing services M&A. These transactions are creating opportunities for ambitious, newly independent agencies and management teams, such as Haygarth’s, which will further strengthen the dynamic cohort of independent agencies in the UK.

On this cross-border transaction between the UK and US, Moore Kingston Smith provided full buyside advisory services, delivering an integrated, multidisciplinary approach across Legal, Corporate Finance and Tax. The team delivered a streamlined process, resulting in a successful and efficient transaction, as well as advising on complex working capital negotiations and the transitional services arrangements.
The Moore Kingston Smith team comprised Andrew Bloom and Harry Dronfield (legal), Matt McRae and Thomas Betti-Berutto (corporate finance) and Mark Fielden (M&A tax).

Marcus Sandwith, CEO of Haygarth Group commented: “This transaction marks a hugely important milestone for Haygarth. Becoming majority-owned by the management team gives us the independence and agility to build on our creative heritage while continuing to scale internationally. Moore Kingston Smith was exceptional throughout. Their seamless integration of legal, corporate finance and tax advisory services made what could have been a complex process run so smoothly, and this combined with a genuinely collaborative and commercial approach gave us real confidence at every stage of the process.”

Andrew Bloom, Legal Partner at Moore Kingston Smith, added: “Haygarth is a truly distinctive agency, combining transformative creativity with a rare ability to deliver measurable commercial impact for some of the world’s most recognisable brands. Our multi-disciplinary team is delighted to have supported Marcus, Charlotte, Anthony and Charlotte on this landmark MBO, and we congratulate them on taking this exciting next step in Haygarth’s journey.”

Matt McRae, Corporate Finance Director at Moore Kingston Smith, concluded: “We are delighted to have supported Marcus and the Haygarth management team on this transaction. The buyout represents a compelling opportunity for the business to combine greater independence with continued access to Omnicom’s global platform. It is also a strong example of the increasing momentum we are seeing in carve-outs from marketing services groups, where management teams are stepping forward to drive the next phase of growth.”