On the show this week we talk to Howard Kosky, founder and CEO of Markettiers4DC.

Kosky founded Markettiers4DC in 1994. Clients include Rolls-Royce, Linkedin and Unilever. The business employs a team of 150 people in the UK and UAE

As many of our regular podcast listeners may know, last week Waterland Private Equity took a majority stake in Markettiers4DC for a reported amount of £50 million. The business has been well known for its broadcast PR credentials in the UK for decades but it’s grown significantly in the last couple of years - with the growth of its research business Censuswide and its digital production firm Through The I.

On the show today we’re going to talk to Howard about the deal and what it means for the future of Markettiers4DC and his role within the business. We’ll also be talking to Andrew Bloch from PCB partners about its role in the deal and how the valuation of Markettiers4DC was made.

Do check out our latest free-to-attend webinar “The State of Social 2023: Channel Disruption, Influencer Growth and The Great Data Integration Challenge.”

Thanks as ever to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors The PRCA. 

Here is a summary of what Howard and PRmoment founder Ben Smith discussed:

2 mins Howard talks us through why he decided now was the right time to sell.

“We were very pleased with everyone’s reaction internally to the shift in behaviour (required) to working remotely…with that productivity increased, broadcast popularity increased, the use of technology in virtual events increased and the use of data increased.”

“Rather than sell the business, we looked for an investor, a backer.”

“In professional services consultancy businesses, if you can get the people management right, you can flourish”

6 mins Why Howard believes the culture of Markettiers4DC is better now than before the pandemic.

“It’s not work-life balance, it’s just life. It’s where work sits within the parameter of people’s lives.”

7 mins Howard talks us through the shape of the Marketteirs4DC group in terms of the venues and headcount.

8 mins The reported deal value is £50 million. Is that what Waterland bought the majority stake in Markettiers4DC for, or does that include their future investments in acquisitions? 

“They (Waterland) shared our ambition with the desire to create a war chest for us to match our M&A plan and ambition.” 

10 mins Is Howard trying to replicate the broad shape of the UK Markettiers4DC business in America?

“North America is a huge opportunity for us.”

10.30 mins The revenues of the Markettiers4DC group are about £30m and the business has grown by about £10m in revenue (30% or thereabouts) in the last 24 months. That’s going some, how did they do that?

13.30 mins Markettiers4DC have been purchased by a private equity group. Did they consider a trade sale?

15 mins As a sell-side advisor to the deal, Andrew Bloch from PCB partners talks us through what his role was in helping put the deal together.

17 mins The private equity debt market is a tough one at the moment, did that add a layer of complexity to the deal?

“We were probably at a stage where we had agreed on the numbers 3 months before…”

23 mins When you’re agreeing on the final number, is it basically a game of poker?

“Waterland is a buy and build specialist”

29 mins Howard talks us through the due diligence process and the psychometric tests!

“When these guys come in they put a periscope us every part of y