Valtech swoops for Kin + Carta in £239m acquisition

Valtech, the global digital business with more than 6,000 employees but a low profile in the media, has acquired print giant turned digital transformation consultancy Kin + Carta in a deal worth £239m.

The move is designed to enable the company to better support Fortune 500 and household-name brands looking to meet changing consumer expectations, build strong technology foundations, and drive sustainable growth.

The transaction has been funded by a combination of shareholder equity and external debt and sees Kin + Carta delisted from the London Stock Exchange. Kin + Carta CEO Kelly Manthey will become CEO of Valtech Americas, while CFO Chris Kutsor will take the role of Valtech Americas CFO, both effective immediately. Both will also join Valtech’s Executive Committee.

To date, Valtech’s growth strategy has focused on strong organic growth paired with acquiring specialist companies with complementary strengths. The company insists thayt acquiring Kin + Carta is a key milestone, as the transaction will bring Valtech close to delivering $1bn in revenue. The acquisition is Valtech’s biggest investment in the experience innovation category.

Founded in 1993, Valtech is one of the largest independent global agency groups, with over 45 offices in 17 countries, combining experience design, business consulting, technology engineering and marketing execution. Its clients include L’Oreal, BMW, Pandora, Carnegie, Lufthansa, Dolby, Alcon, Danone, Levi’s and PepsiCo.

Kin + Carta can trace its roots back to 1964 when Robert Gavron took out a £5,000 loan to purchase a failing publishing business and renamed it after one of its printing plants, which was located in the town of St Ives.

However, it has been undergoing its own digital transformation since 2010 when it diversified away from print and into wider marketing services with the purchase of data firm Occam.

It rebranded as Kin + Carta in 2018 and 2021 became the first certified B Corporation on the London Stock Exchange and was the first publicly traded company in its sector to achieve the certification. The business has also seen significant acquisitions in recent years, including Spire Digital, Cascade Data Labs, Loop, Melon Group (including Frakton), and Octain AI.

Only last October, it accepted a private equity takeover offer by Kelvin UK Bidco, valuing it at £203m, in a move designed to “accelerate ambitious growth plans and scale the business”. Under the offer, which was made by , a newly formed company owned indirectly by funds advised by UK private equity firm Apax Partners.

The move will give the business globsal scale, with Kin + Carta’s sizeable footprint in the US and UK, alongside its LATAM and SEE delivery centres, strengthening Valtech’s presence in growth markets and adding 1,900+ consultants, engineers, and data scientists to its 6,000-strong global team.

It will also broaden Valtech’s reach in its retail, finance, automotive and public sector portfolio and reaches new clients in agriculture and other verticals. Meanwhile, its digital engineering, commerce, and experience design expertise will also be expanded through Kin + Carta’s cloud, product development, data, and enterprise AI capabilities.

It is claimed that together, Valtech and Kin + Carta can cross-sell a more robust suite of offerings and jointly pursue larger strategic engagements. Moreover, Kin + Carta adds America’s largest automotive manufacturer, top financial institutions, top retailers and distributors (among others) to Valtech’s portfolio.

Valtech chief executive Olivier Padiou said: “Our vision has always been to become the world’s most influential experience innovation company. This acquisition marks a pivotal moment in achieving thatBy bringing Kin + Carta’s extensive expertise and client roster into the fold, we enter a new and exciting era. This means helping brands set new standards with intelligent and personalised experiences, powered by data and AI, that touch lives, grow businesses, and change how people experience the world.

“This deal represents a strategic acceleration of our vision. Experience innovation calls for a comprehensive strategy that seamlessly integrates and coordinates investments in four critical domains: cloud platforms, data and AI, app modernisation, and customer-facing digital channels to create world-class customer experiences that drive sustainable growth.”

Manthey added: “As two purpose-driven companies, it felt natural for Valtech and Kin + Carta to join forces. With clear cultural alignment, complementary capabilities, and a shared vision for our industry, we are much stronger together. Our clients and technology partners will see the immediate benefits of a better, range of services. Our people will benefit from expanded career opportunities.”