For Next 15 Group, the sale of Marker Collective represents a continuation of the reduction and simplification of its portfolio, while for AVENIR GLOBAL it brings approximately 650 employees from 20 offices into its network. Completed on 5 November, the transaction included communications agencies Archetype, Nectar and Outcast, along with their proprietary media intelligence platform, Delve.
The agencies specialise in communications and marketing for technology companies, collectively working with more than 450 clients. Their offices in the US, the UK, continental Europe and Asia Pacific expand the international presence of the Canadian group headquartered in Montreal. Following the acquisition, AVENIR GLOBAL has more than 1,500 employees and, according to its own figures, ranks among the world’s 15 largest communications companies by revenue.
The change in ownership will not mean bringing the agencies together under a single name. Marker Collective will continue to operate separately under CEO Helena Maus, while the agencies retain their leadership, identities and existing client teams. AVENIR GLOBAL President and CEO Jean-Pierre Vasseur cited employee expertise, relationships with technology companies and the technology developed by Marker among the reasons for the acquisition.
Delve could connect the acquired agencies with the rest of the network. The platform uses artificial intelligence to analyse news and social media content in real time, turning it into insights for communications teams. The buyer is considering its use across the group for client service, campaign measurement and more efficient workflows.
The sale also shows how much the scale of Next 15 Group’s business has changed. The group formed Marker in 2024 by bringing these three agencies together, and following disposals, integrations and the closure of non-core operations, it now has nine businesses, compared with 22 in the previous financial year. It intends to use the proceeds from the transaction primarily to invest in its remaining businesses and strengthen financial flexibility.
