Livingstone advises on the sale of Comet Global Consulting to Merkle

Livingstone’s Media & Technology team is pleased to announce that Comet Global Consulting, a leading provider of decision management solutions, has been acquired by Merkle Inc, a private US group based in Maryland focused on CRM, digital, and search. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Created in 2006 and with its main office in Barcelona (Spain), Comet specializes in supporting the successful implementation of CRM, marketing and decision management solutions for clients such as Telefonica O2, Royal Bank of Scotland, Standard Life, EE, Fifth Third Bank, DIRECTV, and Sky. The company drives the growth and profitability of global brands enabling them to interact with their customers in real time and with greater relevancy. Through powerful partnerships with CRM software providers, such as Pega Systems and IBM, Comet implements advanced marketing automation and customer decision capabilities for its clients.

With over 300 expert staff, and offices in Barcelona, London and  Atlanta, Comet combines local and proximate presence with projects led by directors working at their clients’ premises with technical staff operating from the Company’s technological centers located in Barcelona and Atlanta. Accordingly, the Company has an important presence in Barcelona’s technology and design district 22@.

Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, USA, Merkle is an independent global data-driven, technology-enabled performance marketing group and the largest in the US for CRM, digital, and search. With more than 3,400 employees, the privately held corporation is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland with 15 additional offices in the US and offices in Barcelona, London, Shanghai, and Nanjing.

Comet’s expertise in the telecommunications, financial services, retail, travel, and media industries represented a strategic fit to Merkle’s vertical go-to-market approach. This transaction will enable Comet reach the next phase of growth under Merkle ownership.

“We are excited to welcome Comet to Merkle. This is an important acquisition for us as we continue to bolster our offering and solidify our position as a global leader in performance marketing. The Livingstone team ran a very efficient process as Comet’s advisor and were involved at every level to navigate the complexities of an international deal and to help facilitate a successful close”, said Bart Shaeffer, Vice President Corporate Development of Merkle.

Steven Lewis, Partner of Livingstone Madrid who led the transaction, commented: “The purchase of Comet by Merkle demonstrates once again Livingstone’s ability to organize creative cross border transactions. The owners of Comet asked us to help them locate an international partner which would provide further growth opportunities for the shareholders and the employees and we believe that with Merkle we delivered the ideal solution”.