MSQ Partners relies on A&O Shearman’s expertise to implement its international growth strategy

UDG is the customer experience division of PIA GmbH. The parties agreed not to disclose the details of the transaction.

MSQ, headquartered in London, is an independent global creative, technology and media group and has 1,850 colleagues operating across 22 global offices and 12 agency brands. Its ambitious growth strategy is to create multi-disciplinary hubs of scale in Europe, the US and Asia. Agencies within MSQ provide tech and digital transformation, data analytics/insight, digital, customer acquisition and engagement, creative development and production, media buying, PR & creator content, B2B marketing and sport and entertainment activation.

UDG, established in 2011, is a leading digital customer experience services agency. In addition to the automotive and manufacturing sectors, UDG is active in FIS/banking and the public, pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. The company is part of the PIA Group since 2019.

The A&O Shearman team comprised partner Dr. Nils Koffka (lead), senior associate Dr. Jan Holst and associate Jonas Schuck (all Corporate/M&A/Private Equity, all Hamburg), and furthermore partners Thomas Neubaum (Banking & Finance), Tim Drach (Tax), Peter Wehner (Employment/Pensions), Dr. Udo Olgemöller (Public Law), Dr. Tim Müller (Litigation, all Frankfurt), Catharina Glugla (Data Protection) and Dr. Jens Matthes (IP/IT, both Düsseldorf). The team also consisted of counsels Dr. Jan-Hendrik Bode (Banking & Finance, Frankfurt) and Dr. Ioannis Thanos (Antitrust, Hamburg), senior associates Can Altan (Banking , Frankfurt), Dr. Marcus Mackensen (Corporate/M&A/Private Equity), Dr. Julia Molestina (Antitrust), Merle Herrmann (Employment, all Hamburg), Anna Kräling (IP/IT, Düsseldorf), Dr. Sven Gunkel (Employment/Pensions) and Dr. Stephan Bühner (Public Law, both Frankfurt), as well as of associates Maria Heilmann (Corporate/M&A/Private Equity), Hannah Bakir (Antitrust, both Hamburg), Anastasiya-Evangelina Wiegand (Banking & Finance), Damian Snop (Tax), Jan Henrich (Employment/Pensions t, all Frankfurt), Pascal Yves Schröder (Data Protection) and Katharina Jünemann (IP/IT, both Düsseldorf).

In addition, the debt finance team of A&O Shearman has advised MSQ Partners on the financing of the acquisition of the leading New York-based creative agency SPCSHP. The acquisition more than doubles MSQ’s presence in the U.S., increasing annual revenues in North America to $100 million.

The A&O Shearman team advising on this acquisition financing included partner Thomas Neubaum (lead), counsel Dr. Jan-Hendrik Bode, senior associate Can Altan and associate Anastasiya-Evangelina Wiegand (all Frankfurt) as well as colleagues from the firm's New York office.