MightyHive looks to merge with Australian digital agency Lens10, brings on board Miles Young

S4 Capital’s data and programmatic media practice MightyHive is set to merge with Australian digital strategy and analytics consultancy  Lens10, and pending Foreign Investment Review Board and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. This is S4 Capital’s second merger during the COVID-19 lockdown period, as the company aims to continue to expand its functional capabilities and geographical coverage, without compromising its balance sheet, which remains strong with no net debt.

According to MightyHive, merging Lens10 strengthens the existing S4 Capital data and programmatic practices in Australia and joins S4 Capital’s content practice which was established in 2019 with the BizTech (now MediaMonks) merger.

Lens10 was founded in 2010 by Michelle McGrath , Dean Gingell and Robin Jowett, and its services revolve around digital strategy, technical consulting, analytics audit and measurement strategy, analytics dashboards and data visualisation, data integration and digital optimisation. The company employs over 25 data specialists in Melbourne and Sydney working for clients including CottonOn, National Rugby League, Australian Ballet, and ME Bank. Lens10 is also a certified Google partner in Google Analytics, Google Cloud and Google Marketing Platform and is an Adobe Analytics partner. 

S4 Capital executive chairman Sir Martin Sorrell said COVID-19 has accelerated the existing digital transformation trends affecting consumers, media owners and enterprises. As a result, data analytics will be even more important as marketers seek to fast-track digital transformation plans and the agency has seen that in the explosive demand from its clients for these services, he added.

Pete Kim, founder and CEO of MightyHive explained marketing analytics expertise is a key part of marketers’ foundational toolkit and critical to execute more agile and personalised campaigns. “First-party data is part of the S4 Capital ‘holy trinity’ and these mergers support our strategic vision of creating the leading digital-only, new era marketing services firm. The team at Lens10 and their stellar reputations across Australia naturally complement MightyHive’s global consulting services as we continue to expand and prosper worldwide,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Michelle McGrath, CEO and co-founder of Lens10 said: “Marketers’ need for expert advice and services around analytics has never been higher. By teaming up with MightyHive, Lens10’s existing bench of advanced analytics experts is now positioned to offer global capabilities, along with media consulting and media buying solutions, to clients.” 

Citing a MicroStrategy report titled “2020 Global State of Enterprise Analytics”, MightyHive said over 90% of respondents reported that data and analytics is somewhat or very important to business growth strategy and digital transformation. About 65% reported plans to increase analytics investments in the next year, and the agency aims to fill the digital measurement and analytics gap for marketers around the world.

Along with the merger news, S4 Capital has brought onboard Miles Young as a non-executive director with effect from 1 July 2020. Young is no stranger to the advertising industry, having spent almost 35 years at Ogilvy, ultimately as its global Chairman and CEO.

Sorrell added: “We’re delighted to be reunited with Young. Obviously, I was disappointed when he chose to step down from WPP in 2016, as CEO of Ogilvy, albeit to take the prestigious role as warden of New College, Oxford. But now at S4 Capital, he has an opportunity to re-apply his deep understanding, in particular, of outstanding creative work and talent, new technologies and Asia Pacific, honed over almost 35 years at Ogilvy and WPP. His contacts with, and knowledge of, clients and people are amongst the best in the advertising and marketing services industry. He will be of great value in achieving our objective of conversion at scale. The Board of S4Capital is convinced he will add significant value.”

Young said Sorrell’s sense of focus is legendary, and under his leadership S4 Capital has a highly focused ambition to innovate and to solve problems in the digital economy. “Its dramatic growth to-date shows that the demand for a new approach in marketing services is high indeed. I look forward to contributing to the venture, working with Sorrell and his team, hugely,” he added.

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