LDC Top 50 2021

Husband-and-wife team Owen Rees and Carron Edmonds launched their ad agency two decades ago. “We are agents of change,” explains Owen. “We don’t take on the smaller marketing briefs, we look for the larger projects where we have the greatest impact, like relaunching brands.”

The pair have grown the business steadily, building long-term relationships with global corporations. “We want to list on the stock market in three years,” says Carron. The duo credit their bond for their success: “We regularly put everything on the line,” says Owen. “Having someone you trust as your partner is more valuable that anything. There’s no way this business would be here without Carron.”

Q&A

Where does your ambition come from?

Owen: I grew up in an entrepreneurial family. My father has two Queen’s Awards for Export so I was born into the business life. I’ve always had a strong entrepreneurial drive: a burning desire to create something and make a difference and generate opportunities for others.

What are your plans for the future?

Carron: We now have eight agencies under one group umbrella. The plan is to keep making acquisitions and scaling so that we can look to treble turnover by 2025. As we grow, we will allow the senior management team to buy into the business by releasing shares, so they will have equity. We are also creating a bonus pool so everyone can benefit from our growth. The next four years are all about scale, getting people invested, and then ultimately securing the future of the business through a stock market listing.

Any regrets?

Owen: I would have liked to scale faster but long-term relationships take time to nurture. Over the past 19 years, growth has been steady and progressive. We have been profitable since year one. We haven’t shot for the sun and then disappeared. But now we have the layers and structure in place so that we can scale rapidly and that’s incredibly exciting.