Fourninety becomes part of Basil’s growing empire

The Basil Group acquired Leedsbased design and production agency Fourninety for an undisclosed sum.

Fourninety’s 45 staff will become part of Basil’s team, including 37 employees who are based in Leeds.

Previously owned by MSQ Partners, Fourninety also has an office in Milton Keynes. Fourninety’s clients include Argos, Avon, Diversey, Brakes, Wilkinson, JD Williams, Swinton Insurance and Homebase.

The Basil Group aims to build a global marketing communications firm. Before the acquisition of Fourninety, Basil had a 70-strong team with clients in North America, the UK, Europe and India.

Ramesh Krishnamurthy, managing director of the Basil Group, said yesterday: “Fourninety represents an excellent acquisition for us.

“It brings together a team of people with the same passion for thinking and creativity, enabling us to work closely with our clients to develop solutions that really work for them.

“Our vision is to create a global network that delivers across all media platforms, efficiently and cost effectively.”

The Basil Group, which is backed by private equity, has offices in London, Bangalore, Chicago and Toronto

Its clients include Unilever, SC Johnson, ING, Lenovo, Taj Palace Hotels, Rentokil and Thermopatch.

A spokesman at Fourninety in Leeds said yesterday: “Unfortunately, the amount the deal is worth is confidential, as agreed between both MSQ Partners and the Basil Group.

“For staff in Yorkshire it’s business as usual. The deal has strengthened our position; we are now part of a global network who are able to offer marketing services to a worldwide market.”

The spokesman said that Fourninety would re-launch as Fourninety Global within the next few weeks.

Fourninety was established in 2002 when Creative Convergence, a Leeds-based design, artwork and photography specialist, was bought by Media Square.

Fourninety also bought Pre Print Imaging, a Leeds-based repro and packaging specialist, in 2003.

A number of Indian companies have acquired Western European firms in recent years.

Perhaps the most high profile deal involved Indian firm Tata, which bought the former British Steel company Corus in 2007.

India is on track to become the world’s second largest economy by 2050. By 2030, its GDP growth is expected to have multiplied five-fold. India is popular with investors because of its attractive demographic outlook; more than 50 per cent of the country’s population are aged under 25.