MSQ: 2023 in Review

2023 was landmark year for MSQ. And don’t just take our word for it. The wonderful team at Creative Salon dug deep into a very busy 12 months, assessing our wins, work, news and everything in between.

Their review includes an in-depth interview with our Global Chief Executive, Peter Reid, as well as an assessment on our performance from the editorial team. Check out a snippet from their review below and check out the whole article here.

"There's no doubt that the sale to One Equity Partners dominated MSQ's year, but this was a fantastic deal for the business - for its staff and for its previous equity partner LDC, which actually re-invested in the company and now has a 15 per cent stake while OEP has around 65 per cent and the management around 20 per cent.

About 120 MSQ-ers are all shareholders in the group and across the shareholder base everyone realised a level of value through this new deal, but they have reinvested at least half of their proceeds back into the group, which reflects their on-going commitment.

And for good reason: MSQ’s track record over the last 4 years has been extraordinary – revenue is +250 per cent, profit is +350 per cent, headcount +225 per cent.

And the net result of the equity changes is a real vote of confidence not just in MSQ but in the whole marketing services sector. The unassuming but energetic and super-smart leadership team of CEO Reid, executive director Kate Howe and chairman Charles Courtier can look back on 2023 with huge satisfaction...

..Swapping equity partners was a massive transition but seems to have been achieved without disrupting business as usual – which true to recent form has comprised impressive growth and international expansion. And the business has nicely balanced the emergence of MSQ as more of a market-facing force with investment in its individual agency brands.

As the marketing services sector increasingly polarises between big and boutique, MSQ is perfectly placed to offer the integrated heft of bigger rivals with the service levels of a smaller business, all whilst offering its people a rich mix of culture and incentives in which they can really play a part. With the equity deal now done, it’s now full throttle for 2024."