Live communications acquired
Grass Roots Group PLC acquires long-standing and distinguished live communications agency
Global performance improvement company Grass Roots has added another new member to its growing family of businesses.
Grass Roots is pleased to announce that MMM Live, based in the lovely city of Worcester, is to join its ever growing family. MMM Live is led by founding director Charles Moyles, who with Nick Harvey has built a blue-chip quality business matched with blue-chip clients.
Grass Roots has been expanding in the five disciplines it feels make for performance improvement: communication, education, measurement, reward and events. MMM Live adds to this discipline set with an enviable set of skills, facilities and sheer talent for creating, project managing and delivering live events.
The deal was facilitated by a long standing relationship between Grass Roots subsidiary Maritz Europa and MMM Live. Graham Frazer, Deputy Chairman in Marlow, acted as marriage broker and the deal offers an ideal blend of skills and passions.
For MMM Live, already successful in its own right, the opportunity is a wider client base, enormous financial strength within Grass Roots and, importantly, the opportunities for staff to expand their careers.
For Grass Roots and in particular for Maritz Europa, with which it will be aligned, the deal brings additional sources and skills and vitality to its 2500 clients in the arena of live events and experience marketing.
Charles Moyle, MD, notes: “We had numerous approaches, but this opportunity was perfect. A great fit, a respect for what we do and a real opportunity for broader horizons. If you are going to change your life, it must be for the better and this had real meaning for everyone at MMM.”
David Evans commenting: “I get at least one deal offer a week on my desk and even with our financial strength, it’s not a candy store. MMM Live is our sort of family member. It treats everyone with respect, does good work and handles itself with professional dignity. It will add greatly to what we can do and, in aligning it closely with Maritz Europa, it can see how family members can grow.”
Charles Moyle and Nick Harvey, the yin and yang of the MMM Live business, remain at the helm and will be aided by Nick Bender and Graham Corfield from Maritz Europa. David Evans will chair the Board.
The 40 plus staff in Worcester will remain in their HQ, gaining the opportunities and benefits of the Group’s approach to its colleagues. An approach which resulted in the Grass Roots Group being selected as a Sunday Times Top 100 Companies To Work For in the 2007 poll.
More details on the methodology employed are available upon request.
The deal was formulated and completed by a joint team from Maritz and Grass Roots in Tring. Like all previous acquisitions, this is entirely funded from Grass Roots own cash resources.