BigmouthMedia join forces with Global Media

BIGMOUTHMEDIA, the search marketing group (recently named as Scotland’s fastest growing technology company) has been sold with the price tag estimated at £50 million to Global Media, a German based Search Marketing organisation.

Founders (husband and wife) Steve Leach and Heather Luscombe, who founded BMM in 1997, have reinvested most of the money to become major shareholders in Global Media, but are understood to have cashed in a chunk of their equity.

Global Media said it made the deal with BMM to increase its UK presence. The parties claim the combined group is now the largest web marketing company in Europe, with more than 300 clients, including British Airways, Barclays and AOL.

While Bigmouthmedia will be integrated into Global’s business, the BigMouthMedia will be retained, while Global’s Manchester and London offices will also come under the BigMouthMedia banner. Leach joins the Global board, with responsibility for strategy, and as head of UK and US operations.

Leach said there would be no redundancies, and he was hoping to take on a further ten staff in the UK before Christmas.

The deal, which values the combined company at up to 200m (£135m), was backed by the Washington DC-based private equity firm Carlyle Group, which also becomes a major shareholder.

1 comment December 3rd, 2006