London Announcement | Q4 2024
November 12, 2024
Bully Pulpit International expands UK presence and insights practice with acquisitions of Seven Hills and Message House
UK becomes BPI’s largest European market and 2nd biggest globally
Bully Pulpit International (BPI) today announced the acquisition of two award-winning UK-based firms: Seven Hills and Message House. Seven Hills builds campaigns for the organizations and leaders shaping the future. Message House is a research group specializing in message testing with influential stakeholder audiences across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and around the world. With governmental transitions on both sides of the Atlantic, the world’s most influential leaders and brands require a single best-in-class partner to drive change around the globe.
Both consultancies will accelerate BPI’s transatlantic expansion following the acquisition of European public affairs and strategic communications firm, BOLDT, last year. Seven Hills will help drive the group’s growth in the UK working seamlessly alongside BOLDT and scale its events and Change Makers platform globally. Message House will join with BPI’s insights team, creating an integrated policymaker and elite research offering across the US, Europe, and around the globe.
“Leading organizations are desperate for transatlantic partners that can pair global experience with local expertise,” said BPI President Andrew Bleeker. “These acquisitions not only accelerate our offering in the UK but also unite our global operation through an integrated data-centric approach to messaging. We’re excited to welcome Michael Hayman, Nick Giles, Emma Johnson, Matt Carter, and their fantastic teams to the BPI Group.”
Michael Hayman, Seven Hills Chair and Co-founder, said, “We’re proud to join the BPI family and excited to help build on the strong market positions Seven Hills and BOLDT have already established. We look forward to leveraging the breadth of our collective capabilities to scale our campaigning expertise internationally and provide new opportunities for our team.”
With the acquisition, Seven Hills will rebrand as Seven Hills BPI and BOLDT will rebrand across Europe as BOLDT BPI, operating as parallel and complementary brands. The BOLDT BPI UK team will co-locate with Seven Hills. Message House will join BPI’s larger Insights team and transition to the BPI brand early next year. Together, BPI’s international team offers a cohesive approach across corporate, policy, and public affairs strategy needed in today’s interconnected world.
Message House Founder Matt Carter said, “With BPI’s innovative tools and global team, they are the perfect home for Message House, extending our ability to help brands learn from their key stakeholders. I’m looking forward to combining capabilities so we can bring clients the critical insights they need from the people who set the agendas and influence the policy landscape, whether in Westminster, Washington, Brussels or beyond.”
BPI is now made up of more than 325 communications, creative, measurement, and media professionals across six countries and 12 offices. With the addition of Seven Hills and Message House, London is now the agency’s second-largest location after Washington, D.C., with approximately 70 team members.
“Seven Hills and Message House are highly respected firms and each has tremendous teams whose capabilities will strengthen our offerings across the BPI Group, to the benefit of our clients and our colleagues. The ability to acquire talent across Europe was a key reason BOLDT merged with BPI last year, and I am excited to see us moving so quickly to do this,” remarked BPI’s European leader and BOLDT Managing Partner, Jeremy Galbraith.
About BPI Group
BPI Group is an integrated public affairs agency that delivers outcomes for the top organizations and leaders around the world. With expertise in strategic communications, digital marketing, creative, research, and measurement, we offer a cohesive approach across corporate, policy, and public affairs strategy in today’s interconnected world. By combining incisive strategy and deep tactical expertise, we make change possible. Our transatlantic presence includes offices across eleven markets in the US and Europe.
