Digital heavyweight, Harrogate-based IDHL, has acquired specialists in eCommerce transformation, Ampersand as their acquisitive growth strategy accelerates following Bridgepoint investment.
Manchester-based Ampersand specialises in technical solutions that look beyond the website to relieve growth-limiting operational pain points for leading eCommerce brands including Selco, Swoon and Seraphine.
Able to provide a greater service offering to their client base as part of the Group, Ampersand is set to benefit from the IDHL proprietary platform and robust operational infrastructure that will underpin business growth as they continue to scale.
For IDHL, the addition of Ampersand further builds upon its Manchester presence, while strengthening its development resource capability at a point of significant growth in the industry.
This latest acquisition closely follows the addition of luxury eCommerce agency, Fostr, extending the collaboration opportunity across the Group’s wider web division which also comprises of eCommerce agencies Pinpoint and Statement alongside web digital transformation experts, NetConstruct.
Following the acquisition, Darryl Adie will continue to lead Ampersand, along with Managing Director Brett Cooper, working in close collaboration with IDHL’s leadership team to integrate and grow the business as part of the network of agencies.
Darryl Adie, Ampersand CEO, said:
We are excited to be joining the IDHL Group and the opportunities it will bring to the Ampersand team and our customers. We look forward to accelerating the work and achievements of the Ampersand team to date with the Group’s support.
Dennis Engel, Chief Executive at IDHL, said:
We are delighted to have Ampersand join IDHL Group. Their eCommerce technical capability enhances our web division offering which supports our growth strategy and investment in this expertise.
Harrogate-based IDHL is quickly establishing itself as a northern powerhouse with the connected agency group now employing circa. 400 people across its nine specialist agencies in prominent digital cities including Leeds, Manchester and London.
The backing of Private Equity investor, Bridgepoint Development Capital (BDC), provides IDHL with significant funding along with international support to enable the Group to further expand its capabilities and reach to better serve its ever-growing client base both here in the UK and internationally.
Providing corporate finance advice to the Ampersand shareholders was Sam Davies and Brad Seekings of Cowgills. Legal advice was provided by Will Munday and Lara McKeown of DWF.
IDHL was advised by Squire Patton Boggs, led by Louisa Hine with tax and financial due diligence provided by Declan Ramsey at Grant Thornton.
