Howatson+Co on future acquisitions

Chris Howatson.

Howatson+Co is not planning more acquisitions after buying Melbourne creative agency Akkomplice last month.

“(Founder) Kenny (Hill) and his Akkomplice team was a special moment where the moons brilliantly aligned,” founder and CEO Chris Howatson told AdNews.

The Akkomplice team of 10 have merged with Howatson+Company in the Melbourne campus. Akkomplice clients include Totally Workwear, Sorbent and Slater & Gordon.

Hill founded Akkomplice in 2014 after leadership roles with JWT, DDB and M&C Saatchi. The brand will no longer exist in the future.

Howatson+Co has built a full complement of marketing services so it doesn't have a capability gap to close, Howatson says.

“Additionally we’re not seeking rapid growth as we near our 200 (staff) cap, but instead steady and considered progress.”

Howatson+Company started in 2021 when Howatson, former CHE Proximity CEO, decided to pursue his own full-service agency almost immediately after resigning.

The agency launched with 32 staff across Sydney and Melbourne and seven clients all signing on without a pitch.

Howatson started the agency when he was 37, and despite holding firm that Howatson+Co will always remain independent, he’s hoping to retire at 67.

Having managed nearly 380 people as CEO of CHEP, Howatson is capping his agency staff at an intimate 200 as another pledge to sustainable growth.

It was awarded AdNews Agency of the Year Award earlier this year.

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