Joint managing directors behind Hull performance marketing agency Summit have completed a buy-out of the business.
Martin Corcoran and Ryan Thomas have taken complete control of the well established company, together with its leading technology brand Productcaster. They have bought it from TCC Global, a Dutch multinational, in an undisclosed deal, bringing forward plans to add another 20 employees before the year-end, taking the team to more than 80.
Mr Corcoran joined the business in 2015, with Mr Thomas following two years later. It comes as the team closes in on a first year within the city’s digital quarter, having made a substantial space within the C4DI complex its home late last year, moving from Willerby.
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“We were always interested in buying Summit and know with certainty we have purchased a business with great people, products and clients,” Mr Corcoran, who becomes chief executive, said. “We are lucky to count Three Mobile, Joules, H Samuel, Ikea, The Range, Levi’s, Ann Summers and many more amongst our cornerstone clients and we are in no doubt other agencies in this space would be lucky to have such a strong track record in performance marketing and such a prestigious client list. The business has clear positioning and heritage within online marketing and e-commerce as well as being highly differentiated through its proprietary Productcaster technology, which leads the European comparison shopping service market, garnering 200 million clicks on Google every month.
“We’ve seen incredible growth across all parts of the business in the last 12 months and by doubling our media spend with Google year on year, we know we’re one of the fastest growing Google premier agencies in the UK.”
Mr Thomas, who becomes chair, said: “We recognised we were about to go on a big growth curve more than 12 months ago so put in train a plan to invest in our team, drive our culture and develop our own talent. We’re seeing the fruits of this investment into people, enabling us to delight existing clients as well as win and onboard fantastic new brands such as Dr Oetker and Cult Beauty.
“Our ambition is to turn Summit into a true northern powerhouse agency and bring jobs, prosperity, and some glory to the city of Hull and the surrounding Yorkshire region.”
Summit was launched in 2000 by Hedley Aylott, with city giant Reckitt a key client. TCC swooped in 2016.
Reflecting on the post-pandemic re-emergence, with digital retail having further accelerated, Mr Corcoran added: “The last 18 months have gone better than we ever could have expected. We have a great new head office, a terrific new partnership with Hull University and Hull College and a diverse, inclusive and motivated set of clients and staff - what’s not to like about that?”
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