Ethos Partners Invests in House of Marketers to Support Its Next Phase of Growth

Ethos Partners is pleased to announce its investment in House of Marketers, backing founder and CEO Inigo Rivero and the wider management team. Experienced media executive John Farrell has been appointed Chairman to support the business through its next phase of growth, alongside Garry Boyd, who joins as CFO. Frontier Development Capital provided senior debt facilities in support of the transaction.

Founded in 2020 by former TikTok EMEA employee Inigo Rivero, together with co-founder Rohan Midha, House of Marketers has rapidly established itself as a leading influencer marketing agency, helping brands connect with consumers through creator-led campaigns across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and other digital platforms. The business combines deep platform expertise, data-driven campaign execution and a scalable operating model, serving more than 100 clients annually through a global network of over 250,000 influencers.

Over the last three years, House of Marketers has grown revenue by more than 50% per annum approaching double-digit millions, expanded its international client base and built a highly experienced team with specialist expertise across influencer strategy, content creation and paid media. The business generates more than 95% of its revenues outside the UK, with 65% derived from Asia, and has established a strong reputation for delivering measurable returns on marketing spend and helping brands navigate an increasingly fragmented digital landscape.

As part of the transaction, John Farrell will join the business as Chairman. John is an experienced Chairman and advisor to marketing, media and technology businesses, having supported more than 20 successful business exits and held senior leadership roles across the sector. He currently serves as Chairman of Ethos portfolio company Strata and brings extensive growth, strategic and M&A expertise to House of Marketers.

Garry Boyd also joins as CFO, bringing many years of experience within private equity backed businesses.

The significant investment by Ethos, will support Inigo and his team on the next phase of growth, with a strategy focused on international expansion and investment in technology, data capabilities and broadening service lines.

The investment was led by Jack Jacovou, Ben Kirby, and Hugo Browne.

Jack Jacovou, Partner at Ethos, added: “House of Marketers has built an outstanding reputation in one of the fastest-growing segments of the marketing services market. We have been highly impressed by the quality of the management team, the strength of the client relationships and the business’s track record of growth. We look forward to partnering with Inigo and the wider team as they continue to scale internationally and build on their market position.”

Inigo Rivero, Co-Founder and CEO of House of Marketers, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Ethos. Throughout the process, they demonstrated a strong understanding of our business, our culture and our ambitions for the future. Their experience supporting founder-led businesses through periods of rapid growth made them the ideal partner. We are excited about the opportunities ahead as we continue to expand internationally and enhance our offering to clients.”

Ethos was advised by Stephenson Harwood (Legals), Crowe (Financial & Tax), Grant Thornton (Debt), Latitude Consulting (Commercial), Confidas People (Management) and Blick Rothenberg (Tax). The sellers were advised by Two Roads Advisors (US M&A Advisor), M&A Advisory (UK M&A Advisor) and Birketts (Legals and Tax).

How To Prepare Your Agency For Sale with David Blois & Chris Rudolph

Many agency owners begin thinking seriously about selling only when a potential exit is already on the horizon. By that stage, some of the most important value drivers may take time to address.

In a recent episode of the AgencyRise podcast, our Managing Partner, David Blois, joined the discussion to explore what makes an agency valuable, what buyers look for and why preparation should begin well before a formal sale process.

The conversation covers several key areas relevant to agency founders and leadership teams, including:

  • What buyers look for when assessing an agency
  • Why founder dependence can affect valuation
  • The importance of recurring revenue and strong financial systems
  • Common issues that can delay or derail a transaction
  • When founders should begin preparing for a potential exit
  • The metrics and characteristics buyers tend to focus on most

A central theme of the discussion is that exit preparation is not only about getting ready to sell. It is also about building a stronger, more resilient and more valuable agency today.

Whether a founder is considering a sale in the next two years, or simply wants to build a business that can thrive beyond them over the longer term, the episode offers practical insight into the steps that can strengthen agency value.

You can listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/dA-6zUda

When We Had To Walk Away

One of the hardest decisions in M&A advisory isn’t about the deal you close but the deal you don’t.

Recently, we were deep into a process with a great business, a willing buyer, and a clear path to completion.

Then we uncovered something that didn’t sit right. Not a catastrophic issue, but a material one that would have impacted the seller’s outcome.

We had a choice:

  • Push through, get the deal over the line, take our success fee.
  • Or step back and reset, and risk losing months of work.

We chose to walk away.

Because our reputation and the client’s long-term outcome matter more than a quick win.

It was painful in the moment. However, a few weeks later, a second buyer candidate expressed continued interest, and we eventually secured an even better deal.

Sometimes, walking away is the most valuable thing you can do.