Acquisition strategy for Elmwood

Elmwood is considering acquiring a small design consultancy in London as part of a bold strategy to grow the business.

Consultancy chairman Jonathan Sands has also appointed three non-executive heavyweights to advise on business affairs. A fourth is on the cards.

Richard Watson, founder of Global Innovation Network in Sydney; Lord Newby, chief of staff to Charles Kennedy; and Brian Child, former chief executive of ad agency McCann Erickson all join the group as it reviews its London operations under managing director Don Landers.

‘In the next six months we will either relocate the [London] business or make a small acquisition and move in with the group,’ explains Sands, who has held talks with a number of candidate consultancies from a number of design disciplines.

‘We are interested either in a packaging business, a corporate identity or literature business, or possibly a new media business of about ten or 15 people. The most important thing is the cultural fit into Elmwood,’ he says.

‘This is an exciting time for us and we are confident that it’s the right time to be growing,’ adds Sands. ‘We might also be looking for a fourth non-executive to be a mentor to our creative team,’ he adds.