Chris Ingram, the veteran who founded global media and research network Tempus Group – only to lose it kicking and screaming to the predation of Sir Martin Sorrell – is back in business.
Ingram it was who famously said he would rather “lick an abattoir floor than work for Sir Martin”, chose to take the money – £64 million – and run rather after the fiercely resisted merger, rather than accept the co-chair of Mediaedge:CIA, as the combined group is now known.
His new venture, The Ingram Partnership, is dubbed a ‘branding and communications consultancy’ which, he claims will “fill the gap between strategic branding agencies and management consultancies and offer the best of both disciplines”.
Media, as might be expected, will play a key part in this eclectic mix. Says Ingram: “Everyone talks integration but it’s clear from our research and my conversations with senior marketing directors that there’s still a disconnect there.”
Ingram’s chosen vehicle for his comeback is a newly acquired media strategy group Unity, launched six years ago by former Zenith Media executive Andy Tilley, now a partner in the new company. There will be three other founding partners, one of whom is Duncan Bruce, former chairman of brand consultancy The Gathering.
Between them Tilley and Bruce bring a dowry of a readymade client list jostling with blue-chips, among them B&Q, Bosch, Cadbury Schweppes, Carphone Warehouse and Guardian Media Group.
Ingram clearly won’t be resting on these laurels: “It will be my job to ensure we stay absolutely connected with the real world of business. We are offering senior management a real alternative.”
Data sourced from: MediaGuardian.co.uk; additional content by WARC staff
