Paritee continues its international growth journey through the acquisition of LHLK Group

Following last year’s acquisition of award-winning agency Brands2Life, Paritee has now acquired a significant majority stake in LHLK Group, one of Germany’s leading communications agencies.

LHLK comprises the agencies LHLK and PRpetuum (PRP), with combined net sales in FY 2023 of more than €11m and approx. 100 employees across its Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich offices. The acquisition is in line with Paritee’s strategy to acquire and develop “National Champion” agencies in key markets, with LHLK adding a strategically important foothold in Germany.

The acquisition of LHLK Group further cements Paritee’s position as a new breed of innovative agency collaboration and partnership. Combined, the platform now generates annual net sales in excess of €60 million, with more than 400 employees across 10 locations.

“I am pleased to see Paritee entering the German market, an important economy of scale with significant long-term growth potential. The acquisition of LHLK Gruppe represents an important step in preparing Paritee for further expansion within Germany and Continental Europe. Paritee continues to maintain discipline in expanding the platform, both by geographical markets and verticals. As we continue to grow, organically and through targeted acquisitions, we will focus our investments where it really makes a difference; for clients, talent and shareholders.”, concludes Lars Erik Grønntun, Chairman of Paritee.

For any inquiries, please contact: Henrik Lisæth, hl@exploreequity.com

ABOUT PARITEE

Founded in 2021 by Chairman Lars Erik Grønntun, former Global President H+K Strategies, holding company Paritee is run by a handful seasoned agency leaders with an extensive background from the European and global communications industry. Paritee's CEO is Jonas Palmqvist, former COO Weber Shandwick EMEA.

Paritee’s mission is to create a new type of agency network and model for collaboration, a platform; one that invests in and brings together world-class agencies from key markets, while protecting their entrepreneurial ethos, and enables them to cooperate for mutual benefit, providing clients with high-value services and deep sector expertise.

Paritee operates at the intersection of marketing, communications and corporate advisory, and is positioned particularly towards agencies which lean heavily into transforming and high-value industry verticals, such as technology, energy transition, health and life sciences, industry and mobility, and financial services.

The company completed its first acquisition with Geelmuyden Kiese in 2022, today one of Scandinavia's largest communications agencies with offices in Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm, followed by the acquisition of leading global communication agency Brands2Life in 2023, DVA Creative Technology Studio in 2023, and most recently the German LHLK Gruppe in 2024.

Find out more on: www.paritee.com  

ABOUT EXPLORE EQUITY

Explore Equity is a partnership equity growth fund investing in Nordic companies with solid and distinct growth characteristics. Explore seeks to drive value creation together with existing management and partners by leveraging more than 100 years of experience in professional and financial services as well as industrial and consumer product companies.

Inherent in the Explore partnership investing approach is a deep and continuous focus on value creation through operational and strategic levers. This is done through board work and by actively engaging in the development of the company as a partner and advisor. Our competitive advantage is based on specialized sector insights, deep stakeholder alignment and change management experience, and an extensive network throughout the Nordics and globally.

Explore Equity was founded in 2016 by Simen Vier Simensen, with a long background as Senior Partner at McKinsey, and Henrik Lisæth, who has more than 20 years of experience from the Nordic private equity space. Explore Equity has offices in Oslo and Stockholm.

Find out more on: www.exploreequity.com