Appointment will help accelerate Merkle’s rapid expansion to drive strategic acquisitions

Merkle, a leading technology-enabled, data-driven performance marketing agency, has appointed Julia Crawley-Boevey as head of mergers and acquisitions for EMEA to help drive its ambitious growth strategy for the region.

Since making its first major company acquisitions in the region in 2015, Merkle has expanded rapidly in EMEA to over 1,300 employees, with 12 offices across five countries. Next year will see M&A activity for Merkle increasing significantly and, with over a decade’s experience in advising companies on M&A, Crawley-Boevey has been chosen to lead the charge across EMEA. In the role, she will be responsible for both sourcing the companies best aligned with Merkle’s aims, leading all deal activity and overseeing post-acquisition integration.

Prior to joining Merkle, Crawley-Boevey was head of global business strategy and M&A at digital marketing agency iCrossing, where she oversaw the launch of new agency services and identified key investment priorities. She also led a team dedicated to the marketing services sector at Results International, the leading advisor on M&A and fundraising. Whilst there, Crawley-Boevey advised Periscopix on its acquisition by Merkle. She also played a pivotal role in securing investment for Blue Rubicon from Lloyds Development Capital, advising Profero on its acquisition by IPG’s Lowe & Partners and Crayon on their purchase by Karmarama, to mention a few.

“M&A will be a key pillar in our renewed drive to expand our presence across EMEA and enhance our people-based marketing capabilities in the region over the next year and beyond,” said Michael Komasinski, president of Merkle EMEA. “Julia has unrivalled experience in helping global companies in our space to grow rapidly through M&A. We’re thrilled to be working with her again and we’re confident that, through her leadership, Merkle’s growth in EMEA will continue to skyrocket.”

“Merkle is a company that has consistently been at the forefront of the digital marketing revolution and it’s an honour to be joining the leadership team at such a significant stage in its journey,” said Crawley-Boevey. “With the support of Dentsu Aegis Network, there is a huge opportunity to strengthen our capabilities in EMEA and continue to build out a global presence via M&A. I’m looking forward to working closely together to achieve our vision.”

Representing the next big leap in the evolution of personalisation in an increasingly addressable marketplace, people-based marketing is a holistic approach to managing marketing interactions to known individuals. It is informed by data and powered by technology, enabling brands to maximise customer lifetime value and build brand loyalty over time.