JAKALA joins forces with FFW
Published on April 18, 2023
As for digital services in the private sector, the acquisition of FFW reveals to be the most important in Europe in 2023
JAKALA’s international path for growth passes through the acquisition of FFW, fostering its development process and representing its greatest deal up-to-date, and of the last two years, in the high value-added sector of MarTech in Europe.
FFW is a global digital platform agency that combines data insights, strategy, design, and development to design, build and scale engaging experiences and to impact our clients' businesses. With more than 800 experts worldwide, FFW acts as digital experience navigator trusted by its clients.
Founded in 2000 in Copenhagen, FFW is now based in eleven countries - from the United States to Vietnam - and works on award-winning projects for Fortune 2000 companies.
JAKALA and FFW join their forces and extend their offer, becoming one of the major digital companies of the world. Furthermore, the strategic acquisition will represent another competitive advantage for customers already acquired, as they will profit of an upgraded offer.
The match is perfect, because of the elective affinities between the two companies, who share the same company culture, the same management style for teams, people and clients and also the same growth process and internationalization paths. Both companies were established in the same year, in 2000. FFW, led by CEO Michael Drejer, has developed until the achievement of 100 million euros’ revenue, with a very elevated Ebitda margin, equal to 20 million euros, and about 800 employees.
“Both companies have grown fast, both internally and through external acquisitions. They are both characterised by an open culture and an open door. The integration of different expertise is their point of strength,” explains our Founder, Matteo de Brabant.
This acquisition makes JAKALA grow in size and become more global than ever: with offices in more than 20 countries, the working force pass from the actual two thousand professionals to more than three thousand. As far as the revenue, the forecast for 2023 is around 550 million. Stefano Pedron, CEO of JAKALA, points out: “This last acquisition takes our international revenue next to 50% of the total.”
JAKALA and FFW’s business are complementary at different levels, “both in terms of products – as we are more specialised in the data, while FFW is more “creative” in portal management – as well as in the geographic presence. Markets in which we had a more limited presence, like Germany and United States, will now become very important areas of development for our company,” underlines de Brabant.
He finally concludes: “We are convinced that we will be able to exceed these numbers rapidly: in addition to our recent acquisitions, in 2021 BMind in Spain, H-Farm Consulting in 2022, and Biko in 2022, always in Spain, our group has proven to be able to grow internally at a rate of more than 20% per year.”