The Lagardère Unlimited sports marketing division of media conglomerate Lagardère has acquired German sponsorship agency Akzio! ajoint group.
Akzio! ajoint will continue to operate independently in the marketplace. The management team, consisting of Jacqueline Habermann, Karsten Bentlage, Thomas Kahl, Oliver Michels, Karsten Petry and Simon Trägner, will stay with the company and continue in their existing positions.
Akzio! Ajoint has 100 employees based in Munich and Frankfurt and designs bespoke sponsorship solutions for brands in sports, culture and social affairs. The company advised five out of seven Uefa Champions League partners in activating their engagements during the final, which took place in Berlin on Saturday.
“Since its foundation in 1993, the group has become a renowned agency with a very attractive portfolio,” said Andy Pierce, Lagardère Unlimited’s global head of consulting. “With this acquisition, Lagardère Unlimited follows its growth strategy and will be able to add new services in strategic sponsorship advisory to the portfolio and to foster synergies within the group to develop a truly global consulting unit.”
Michels added: “We’ve been searching the market and Lagardère Unlimited’s strategic approach was the most convincing one for us. Akzio! ajoint will build up Lagardère Unlimited’s consulting business in Europe and will benefit from the global network and from the arising synergies.”
Lagardère Unlimited’s divisions include Lagardère Unlimited Events, Lagardère Unlimited Stadium Solutions, United Sports Digital and the Sportfive agency, plus its Zächel and VIP Sportstravel subsidiaries.
The deal is still subject to regulatory approval from the German competition authorities.