Global marketing consultancy TEAM LEWIS has taken a significant step forward in its strategic expansion by acquiring the UK division of Instinctif Partners, an insight-led financial communications and corporate consultancy. This acquisition, effective immediately, is designed to bolster TEAM LEWIS’ integrated service offering by combining expertise in brand strategy, public relations, digital marketing, and creative engineering with specialised knowledge in capital markets, public policy, and global corporate communications. According to Chris Lewis, CEO of TEAM LEWIS, the deal will unlock new opportunities and elevate standards of excellence in marketing communications, enabling the combined team to offer a wider range of services across broader geographies and sectors.

The integration of Instinctif Partners’ UK operations significantly enhances TEAM LEWIS’ sector expertise in technology, automotive, defence, energy, financial services, leisure, and property, while also strengthening horizontal practices such as crisis preparedness, strategy and planning, and technology-driven innovation. Despite the operational integration into TEAM LEWIS’ global network, the Instinctif brand will be retained in the short term to maintain continuity. Julian Walker, CEO of Instinctif Partners, expressed optimism about the partnership, citing a shared vision for creativity, collaboration, and impactful solutions, which he believes will accelerate growth and innovation for clients in capital and public markets.

This acquisition comes on the heels of TEAM LEWIS’ recent success in securing a series of global technology clients, including Cognizant, Wasabi Technologies, and NinjaOne, demonstrating the firm’s growing prominence in B2B communications, particularly within the technology sector. Martin Harkin, managing director for TEAM LEWIS Australia, highlighted the calibre of these clients as a testament to the expertise and quality of the TEAM LEWIS personnel.

It is worth noting that the Instinctif Partners brand is undergoing regional realignments. Earlier in May 2025, Instinctif Partners’ Middle East and North African operations were acquired by Excellera Advisory Group, an Italian corporate affairs advisory firm. This deal led to the establishment of IP Excellera and expanded Excellera’s footprint in the MENA region with a total workforce exceeding 350 professionals across 15 global offices. The MENA acquisition was part of Excellera’s broader growth strategy, continuing to leverage Instinctif’s expertise in financial and corporate communications, public policy, and audience engagement. This regional split underlines Instinctif’s evolving global presence, with the UK division now aligning more closely with TEAM LEWIS and the MENA operations integrated into Excellera’s network.

Instinctif Partners, founded in 1972 and headquartered in London, has long been recognised for its communications, influence, and engagement capabilities, especially within financial and corporate sectors. The division of its regional operations across different buyers reflects both a strategic repositioning within the industry and the growing demand for specialised communications solutions tailored to different geographic markets and sectors.

Overall, TEAM LEWIS’ acquisition of Instinctif Partners’ UK business represents not only a consolidation of expertise and market reach but also underscores a broader trend of strategic aggregation in the marketing and corporate communications landscape. This move aims to deliver more comprehensive, integrated solutions that respond to the increasingly complex demands of clients operating across multiple sectors and geographies.

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Source: Noah Wire Services