Tag: XM Asia

  • WPP’s XM Asia to buy majority stake in Sofresh

    WPP’s XM Asia to buy majority stake in Sofresh

    MUMBAI: WPP’s wholly owned operating company, XM Asia, a JWT company, has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Sofresh, a digital creative agency in Vietnam.

     

    Sofresh, co-founded in 2007 by Ly Viet Vu and Justin Cohen, develops digital strategy, digital creative ideas and marketing campaigns across multiple digital channels, including social media, mobile and the web. The company also designs and builds e-commerce platforms, customer relationship management (CRM) systems and in-store digital installations.

     

    Sofresh works with a range of local and global clients, including Diageo, GSK, Kinh Do, Techcombank and Unilever. Sofresh had revenues of VND 35.7 billion for the year ending 31 December 2013, with gross assets of VND 30.1 billion, as at the same date. The company employs 85 people.

     

    The acquisition marks a further step towards WPP’s declared goal of developing its networks in fast-growth markets and sectors and continues WPP’s strategy of strengthening the Group’s capabilities in digital media. This was an announcement was made in a statement published on the company’s official website.

     

    Sofresh marks WPP’s third acquisition in Vietnam in seven months. In Vietnam, WPP companies (including associates) generate revenues of about $80 million and employ approximately 1,000 people.

    In Asia Pacific, the Group (including associates) generates revenues of $ 5 billion and employ over 48,000 people. Globally, WPP’s digital revenues were over $ 6.0 billion in 2013, representing almost 35 per cent of total Group revenues of $ 17.3 billion. WPP is targeting at least 40-45 per cent of revenues to come from each of fast-growth markets and new media over the next five years.

  • WPP acquires majority stake in Thomas Idea through XM Asia

    MUMBAI: Global media communications giant WPP‘s XM Asia has acquired majority stake in digital marketing agency Thomas Idea in Thailand. XM Asia operates under JWT.

    Founded in 1995 in Bangkok, Thomas Idea employs 45 people and had total assets of around THB 50 million for the year ended 31 December 2012. Thomas Idea services include online strategy consulting, website design and development, digital marketing and applications design. Clients include Beiersdorf, Reckitt Benckiser, TIPCO, Abbott Laboratories and Pruska.

    This investment is another step in implementing WPP‘s objective of developing its businesses in the fast growing economies of Asia Pacific, as well as Latin America, Africa and the Middle East, and Central and Eastern Europe. Collectively, the Group, including associates, has revenues of $5 billion in the Asia Pacific region, and employs more than 46,000 people in that region. In Thailand, the Group, including associates, has revenues of approximately $140 million and employs around 1,600 people.