OSLO — Media company Aller Media Sweden has acquired Stockholm agency Narva as the first PR consultancy to join its Ahead Group marketing and communications network, for an undisclosed sum.

Ahead Group is the largest network in the Nordics, with agencies specialising in content marketing, CRM, design, digital marketing, events, advertising and performance. The move, part of Aller Media’s strategy of acquisition across the region, grows the network to 560 employees over 11 agencies with combined revenue of SEK 1bn (€95.7m) in 2017.

Aller Media is acquiring a majority stake in Narva, which will continue as an independent business within the group. Founders Daniel Bergsten and Johan Molander, who started the company in 2000 and have themselves made a series of acquisitions over the years, remain on the board. They said the deal would enable them to develop the agency and their offer at a faster pace and create better solutions for clients.

Narva has around 60 employees across its Stockholm and Gothenburg offices, and had turnover of SEK 91m (€8.7m) in 2017. The agency’s clients include Barncancerfonden (the Child Cancer Foundation), Swedish mining company Boliden, supermarket chain Coop, power tools manufacturer Husqvarna, Sweden’s largest fuel company Preem, Röda Korset (the Red Cross) and SAS (Scandinavian Airlines).

Aller Media Sweden’s head of agency network and strategy Anders Rask, who will be chairman of Narva’s new board of directors, said: “The acquisition of Narva is important to the development of Ahead Group. It responds to customer demand for broad solutions and strategic counseling in the new media landscape. Narva is the first company with a focus on PR. We welcome Narva to our strong network and look forward to bringing our offering to both the Swedish and the Nordic market.”

Bodil Ericsson Torp, CEO of Aller Media Sweden, will also join the new board as a director. She said: “Narva’s high level of strategic expertise in communication serves as an excellent complement to the expertise in our existing [content marketing] subsidiaries Make Your Mark and OTW. We feel there's very good potential for valuable synergies between the subsidiaries.”