BCL Founders Sell to Investment Group

Ian Billington and Paul Cartmell, the co-founders of London-based marcoms group Billington Cartmell (BCL), are leaving following the sale of their agency to investment group Hutton Collins Partners. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Founded in 1990, Billington Cartmell focuses on a number of core disciplines including advertising, data planning and analytics, shopper and retail marketing, and promotions. It also has a dedicated innovations unit called !nvent, which develops new product ideas for clients.

Following the sale to Hutton Collins Partners - who initially took a stake in the agency five years ago - former ITV MD Rupert Howell has joined as non-executive Chairman. He previously co-founded above-the-line agency Howell Henry Chaldecott Lury, which was acquired by Chime Communications in 1997.

John Gellett has been appointed as BCL Chief Executive Officer, having previously founded full service below-the-line agency ZGC, before selling it to Mosaic Group in 1997. He later served as MD of The Communications Agency, and more recently as MD of Ovation London.

The firm employs 180 people and last year generated more than £16m in gross income.

In a joint statement, the founders said: 'We are very proud of what we have built: a truly market-leading integrated communications group with real core strengths in advertising, direct, digital, shopper, and experiential marketing.'

Web site: www.bcl.co.uk .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.