Lewis Silkin has advised its longstanding client, Havas Group, on the acquisition of UK based full-service ecommerce and consultancy Expert Edge.
The acquisition follows three other additions to the Havas Group stable in the UK this year, all of which Lewis Silkin also advised Havas Group on. These include digital experience agency Inviqa, digital agency and Google partner Search Laboratory and creative optimisation specialists Additive+. Expert Edge will bring Havas Group's full-service ecommerce agency Havas Market, market specialist capabilities in strategic consulting and expert operational capabilities in ecommerce.
Expert Edge's capabilities extends Havas Markets offering by allowing clients to have access to their expertise in Data Insights & Reporting, Amazon Advertising PPC, Product Listing & SEO Boosting, Content Optimisation and DSP on Amazon to expand their ecommerce enterprise.
The Lewis Silkin team was fronted by Corporate partner, Paul Rajput, with support from Joe Lythgoe, Kathy Granby, Alex Meloy and Tom McEvoy.
Commenting on the deal, Lewis Silkin's Paul Rajput said:
"It is always a great pleasure working with Darren Todhunter and the rest of the Havas Group team. This acquisition provides Havas Market with the tools to offer end-to-end support across their ecommerce ecosystem, and we are thrilled to watch them go from strength to strength. It once again demonstrates Lewis Silkin's expertise in advising clients in the advertising and marketing sector on M&A transactions, which is reflected in our Legal 500 tier 1 ranking."
Commenting on the deal, Darren Todhunter, Havas Media UK's CFO, said:
"Paul and Lewis Silkin's M&A team have supported us on several acquisitions and have demonstrated that they are a trusted partner once again for this acquisition. We can rely on them to get us to a successful completion of the transaction in a well organised way, but at the same time ensuring that the Havas Group has all the legal protections and security it requires on complex M&A transactions. We will no doubt turn to them again for future acquisitions."