MediaSense to buy PwC UK's marketing and media owner team

Media advisory firm MediaSense has agreed a deal to purchase PwC UK’s marketing and media owner team. The move will take the combined firm’s headcount to more than 100 professionals.

Founded in 2009 by Andy Pearch and Graham Brown, MediaSense is an independent global media consultancy. It works with clients to evaluate internal and external agency media operating models, and media supply chains – to build high performance media operating models.

In a period of major changes for the media industry, with rising costs, supply chain issues and the advent of AI all impacting business as usual, demand has surged for MediaSense’s services. As a result, despite the pandemic years, the company has seen its staff numbers rise consistently in recent years – growing from 35 in 2019 to around 80 in 2021.

With Apiary Capital having acquired a majority stake in MediaSense that same year, the firm is now looking to build on those earlier successes. In its first major purchase since the investment, MediaSense has entered into an agreement to acquire PwC UK's marketing and media owner team.

Graham Brown, CEO of MediaSense, commented, “This is an exciting development for MediaSense and an important step in our ambitious growth plans. The acquisition brings us a talented team with complementary skills, capabilities and experience, and an impressive portfolio of global clients. Uniting these two leading businesses under the MediaSense brand will further cement our position as the world’s foremost media advisory business.”

PwC’s marketing and media owner practice acts as an independent advisor to brands looking to transform their marketing operations and effectiveness, through step-changes in value from their customer data, marketing technology and agency relationships.

The acquisition will enhance MediaSense’s scale, capabilities and offering to clients, bringing PwC UK’s world-class client relationships and skilled and experienced team into the business. The move will see over 50 people from PwC joining MediaSense, including PwC Partner Sam Tomlinson, who will join the MediaSense management team as Chief Client Officer.

Tomlinson added, “We are very much looking forward to becoming part of MediaSense. Over a relatively short period they have become one of the preeminent and most respected operators in our field; we share the same values and have a common approach built to deliver exceptional service and value to our clients.”