Dentsu Inc.'s overseas headquarters, Dentsu Aegis Network, has reached an agreement with shareholders of Kazakhstan-based advertising group Fifty Four Media LLP to acquire a 51% stake. The Dentsu Group also holds an option to gradually increase its shareholding and make the company a wholly-owned subsidiary.
The acquisition is expected to be completed in two to three months, pending approval under competition law by the relevant Kazakhstani authorities.
Although Fifty Four Media is a venture company established in 2011, it has rapidly grown to become the largest independent company in Kazakhstan's media advertising market, currently holding approximately 13% market share across digital media and OOH. It owns three subsidiaries: Ex-TV Media Central Asia LLP (a media buying company), Quattro Media Advertising LLP (an advertising agency, hereinafter "Quattro"), and TFF-Central Asia LLP (an advertising agency, hereinafter "TFF").
Until now, the Dentsu Group's media services in Kazakhstan were provided through partnerships: Carat, a media communications agency, partnered with TFF, and Vizeum partnered with Quattro. However, to accelerate its growth strategy in the CIS region, Dentsu Inc. acquired Fifty-Four Media.
Dentsu Inc. News Release
http://www.dentsu.co.jp/news/release/2014/0514-003731.html
