By Max Fellows, Founder of allpoints
Let’s cut to it: it’s been a few quiet months for M&A across the UK and European events and creative agency space. Not tumbleweed-rolling-through-a-desert quiet, but close.
As of mid-July 2025, there have been no headline-grabbing acquisitions or mergers in our corner of the industry, aside from, as we’ve previously noted, MCI UK announcing a merger with London-based events and communications agency Pure Communications Group. That move follows MCI’s earlier merger with Liverpool-based experience agency Meet & Potato. These smaller deals are part of a larger strategic growth play, combining regional presence with a broader mix of services spanning events, internal comms, and strategic content.
Elsewhere, while not UK-based, TAIT, a global leader in experience design and technical production, announced the acquisition of Gallagher Staging and Productions. With four facilities across North America, Gallagher is a major player in set fabrication, staging and scenic services. The deal strengthens TAIT’s production capabilities and extends its reach further across concerts, festivals, film, and broadcast. It’s one to watch, particularly for UK and European agencies increasingly collaborating with global partners in live entertainment.
So, What’s Not Happening?
While these few strategic moves have landed, they’re very much the exception rather than the rule. Since May, the UK and EU creative agency space has seen little new M&A activity. The agency movement, be that roll-ups, acquisitions, or JV’s, hasn’t disappeared, but it has cooled slightly. Private equity interest continues (if not increases) this year on creative service-based businesses, but with a slightly longer lead time for new acquisitions, they are focusing more on embedding and integrating previous investments rather than proactively sourcing new ones..
The broader M&A market is still very much alive, especially in tech, health, and finance sectors, fuelled by digital transformation and AI-led growth. But for live events, brand experiences, and creative communications? It feels like we’re in a holding pattern. Not stagnation, but digestion. The rush of early 2025 has given way to a more considered period of recalibration, integration, and strategic waiting.
One notable move worth mentioning, though not a merger or acquisition per se, is the UK market entry of US digital firm AdCellerant. Its recent UK launch and agency-hosted event hint at broader marketing ambitions, but this is expansion, not consolidation. Still, it reflects continued interest in the UK as a creative and commercial hub.
The Great Succession, Rise of EOTs, and Why the Clock’s Ticking
Across the board, we are entering into a period of transition within the events and creative industries, with over 50% of businesses owned by ‘ageing entrepreneurs’ – see link here for definition. But these businesses (tending to be between £3-7m rev) are going to be coming to market and looking for buyers, but where buyers may be a touch scarce, MBOs or better yet, EOT’s are thriving. The momentum and rise of Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) are an increasingly attractive model for agency succession, legacy planning, and long-term team investment. ( Want to know more? Check our latest article here. EOTs allow business owners to sell their companies to employees, often through a trust structure, in a way that retains culture, independence, and continuity.
Right now, they come with a major incentive: capital gains tax relief, meaning business owners can sell without incurring CGT. But, speculation is mounting that this tax benefit could change within the next two to three years as the government looks for new revenue. That’s why we’re seeing EOTs spike now, while the landscape is still favourable.
Recent EOT completions in our sector include:
- RPM – The long-standing independent creative agency announced its move to employee ownership, with founder Hugh Robertson stepping into a non-executive role while the leadership team stays intact.
- Brandnation – The integrated creative PR and Comms agency became employee-owned in May, aiming to future-proof the business and keep its culture strong.
- 2LK – This live events agency also transitioned to an EOT structure earlier this year, positioning it as a long-term, people-led operation.
In each case, the move to EOT is as much about tax-effective succession as it is about values: giving employees a stake in the future while preserving the independence and ethos of the business.
Final Thought
Silence isn’t always boring. Sometimes, it’s the space before the next big move. While we’re in a lull right now, the M&A machine isn’t broken; it’s just catching its breath. Bigger roll-ups are being planned, bigger networks are still shopping, and PE is doubling down on its bet. The strategic acquisitions by MCI and TAIT are signals of what’s still possible when the timing and alignment are right. And the rise of EOTs could be the quiet revolution shaping the future of our industry, especially if founders act before the tax rules change.
The next phase is coming. Until then, stay sharp, stay curious, and keep your decks ready.
We work almost exclusively off-market, so if you are looking at your succession plan, exit/ sell the business, or make an acquisition, we are here to help.