For the sector, from the sector.
We are one of the very few global M&A consultancies in the sector whose consultants are entirely recruited from people who have built successful careers in the creative and digital sectors.
Consultants who know and understand your sector intimately and know the issues you are facing, supported by excellent media-literate legal, financial and tax advisors in each market. Together, we ensure you get the best advice on any growth strategy or transaction.
Senior Leadership Team
Chris Still
Chairman
Chris is Chairman and founder of Advertising M&A and heads up the global team of consultants, with his primary focus on new business.
In his time, Chris has run a fully listed UK PLC, an IPG operating company, a Top-10 advertising agency, founded two creative shops that were both Runner-Up Agency of the Year and created the No.1 media agency in the UK at the time. He’s also very proud of devising and writing a TV golf series called A Golfer’s Travels with Peter Alliss that enabled him to meet Gene Hackman, Alan Shepherd, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Alice Cooper amongst other luminaries.
Rick Palmer
Senior Partner, Global
Rick is a highly experienced digital entrepreneur who has built a number of successful digital businesses and advised FTSE 100/Fortune 500 companies.
He has had personal experience of M&A during this time, setting up and selling several businesses in social, gaming, publishing and creative design & build. He has been leading the UK, Europe and East Coast US business for Advertising M&A for over 6 years now, during which time he has helped countless independent agencies with growth & exit.
Russ Jarman Price
Senior Partner, North America
Russ has been in the business for over 30 years & has worked in 3 of London’s top Creative agencies before co-founding Still Price Court with Chris Still.
After selling it he moved into Film/ TV as CD of AIM-listed Winchester Entertainment & then moved back into advertising as Creative Partner Ogilvy London and Chairman of Ogilvy Caribbean. Russ now leads Advertising M&A on the West Coast US & Canada.We are a global M&A consultancy focussed solely on the creative sector
- Unrivalled industry knowledge, experience and contacts
- Principally advising on ‘Growth & Exit’, ‘Transformation’ & ‘Search & Find’
EMEA
Simon Milliship
Senior Consultant
Simon joins us after a highly successful career with WPP as a business strategy and brand experience leader with global client expertise. Most recently working at VMLY&R for the previous ten years as Regional Executive Director of VML EMEA and Exec. Digital Director Y&R EMEA. During this time he was responsible for the digital quality of VML and Y&R including M&A meeting and negotiating with the best digital agencies globally. He is primarily responsible for the EMEA region with Adv M&A.
UK
Alastair Purcell
Consultant
After a career in mainstream advertising agencies like Saatchi & Saatchi, Alastair has focused over the past ten years on the production and post production field at two of the world’s largest post production companies. His expertise includes content production and post production delivery and he is equally comfortable in the agency, digital or production world advising how companies should deliver best value.
Worldwide
Simon Bolton
Executive Consultant
Simon is true global superstar in our industry. Following a 20 year career with WPP joins us as an Executive Consultant, supporting and introducing us to his extensive network built over a 35 year international career. He began his career at Ogilvy in London, Asia Pacific and New York & then was Regional President FCB South East Asia, CEO JWT UK and Ireland, Worldwide CEO of Brand Union, Chairman FITCH Worldwide, CEO, Group -XP and most recently served as Exec Chairman of Superunion.
Australia
Rob Wilson
MD Australia
Sydney was our first office opened in 2001 and Rob has been our MD from the beginning. Alongside Alan Robertson the two of them know the Australian market inside out and we have completed many deals together. Sydney in many ways is a microcosm of London with its sophistication and creativity.
China
Stephen Barry
Snr. Consultant
Stephen is based in Hong Kong and has had great experience running agencies there since 1994. He has excellent contacts in mainland China as well as Singapore and his strategic insights combined with his contacts will be a considerable advantage when finding and advising agencies on growth and exit’.
Russia
Dmitry Ashmanov
Snr. Consultant
Dmitry’s background is from the media perspective – agencies and media. He was worked at the highest level in this capacity with a major global network and as a consequence knows many well connected companies in Moscow. His involvement with us is a coup for Advertising M&A and I’m delighted to have him on board.
Brazil / LATAM
Rodrigo Menezes
Snr. Consultant
Rodrigo is one of the founding fathers of the Brazilian advertising communities having started & built at least three agencies to the top 40. He knows everyone there and has agreed to join us and help build a significant presence in this major market. This completes the team and are coverage of all the key advertising markets.
UK
Paul Purcell
Financial Consultant
Paul has over 25 years experience at agency CFO level with companies such as Omnicom and Publicis. He specialises in adding value in the key areas of client profitability, management information systems, resource and capacity planning & KPI dashboards and translating those into 1- 3 year exit strategies.
UK & EMEA
Simon Coles
Snr. Consultant
Simon is a very experienced agency leader who has held senior positions in, BBH, AKQA, antoni Berlin, Publicis and OMD.
His creative & digital career has seen him help build a new agency in Berlin & modernise agency capabilities and build integrated marketing within Holding Companies. He’s even written a brand book for one of the world’s most famous brands.
At Adv M&A he focuses on advising agencies & tech companies particularly within EMEA on how to transform for success.