The Business Growth Fund (BGF) has taken a minority stake in Four Communications (Four) following a £10m investment, the parties have announced.
Four has rapidly become one of the UK’s largest communication companies since its launch in 2001. It has seen its revenues more than double from £15m in 2010 to £32m in 2014. It currently employs more than 200 staff across its offices in London, Edinburgh, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The company has also bagged several awards in recent years – including UK agency of the year and the UK’s best external campaign.
The deal sees the business secure an additional debt facility from HSBC – and BGF investor Chris Hodges joins the board. Hodges praised the leadership team at Four for “a fantastic track record of delivering innovative communications services that are valued by Four’s diverse range of customers”.
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“Their ambition has driven organic growth in the business which has been enhanced by a series of strategic acquisitions that have expanded the range of services Four offers, grown its presence in dynamic market sectors such as travel, property and healthcare, and successfully established its international footprint,” he continued.
“BGF is looking forward to supporting the team in delivering engaging creative work for Four’s clients and taking the business smoothly to the next level of scale.”
Among the diverse range of clients that Four represents are Etihad Airways, The Man Booker Prizes, Sotheby’s International Realty, Intercontinental Hotels Group and Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward.
It has also overseen notable external PR campaigns for Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Cyber Streetwise, integrated & digital campaigns for The Wales Millennium Centre and Agatha Christie and marketing & media campaigns for St George.
Four chief executive Nan Williams added that now is “a very exciting time for our business”.
“In the past few years we have seen significant organic and acquisitive growth. With BGF’s backing, we can take this to the next level in the UK and overseas,” she said.
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