The Nest and St Luke’s join forces

The Nest has struck a deal with ad agency St Luke’s Communications that will bring the two groups into the same stable and open up the possibility of more joint projects.

St Luke’s Holdings, which is owned by employees of St Luke’s Communications, has acquired The Nest for an undisclosed sum.

Under the deal, The Nest chairman Alex Willcock (pictured right), who approached St Luke’s, relinquishes responsibility for running the business, but will retain a role handling strategy, new business and key accounts. He will separately pursue business development ideas in the ethical, not-for-profit and charity arenas.

‘The main motivation [for the sale] is that one and one makes three or four,’ says Willcock, adding that The Nest views itself as ‘a true business development agency’.

‘A key part of my role is working on overall strategy, coming up with big ideas and overseeing creative work,’ he adds. This will not change, he says, and The Nest will continue to focus on ’emotional connectivity’ rather than just design per se.

The Nest’s board will include St Luke’s chief operating officer Neil Thomson, The Nest’s joint managing directors Phil Teer and Neil Henderson, Hatch and Cumming.

The Nest will be run day-to-day by a six-strong senior management team. Cumming and Hatch are joined on this by Gail Bryson, Freddie Baveystock, Giles Brookes and Tamsin Loxley.

The two groups will continue to work independently, though will share pitches when appropriate.

‘It’s about how we help our clients in our core proposition of transforming brands,’ says Thomson, who adds that the teams are currently down to the final two in a joint pitch for a big global project.