Bohemia: We’re not going to merge with Ikon
Dawson: Ruled out a merger with Ikon
STW’s minority-owned Bohemia Group has moved to distance itself from the growing furore around the sudden axing of Ikon’s CEO Dan Johns and four other executives.
Last night, STW named Ikon co-founder Simon White into the new role of media chairman across both agencies. The STW announcement said “White will oversee media agencies Ikon and Bohemia as chairman”.
The announcement immediately triggered speculation that a merger of Ikon and Bohemia, which was set up by former Ikon executive Brett Dawson in 2011, was on the cards. Dawson was also among the names speculated upon as a potential successor to Johns.
But Dawson is the majority owner of the fast-growing Bohemia, which is understood to already have about $5m in revenue, making him unlikely to want to make such a move.
This afternoon, STW issued another statement. It said:
“Bohemia would like to clarify that speculation regarding a potential merger between Bohemia Group and Ikon Communications is absolutely incorrect and has no basis whatsoever.
“Brett Dawson, Founder and Managing Partner said; ‘Bohemia is majority independently owned, has a very clear and unique growth strategy and will continue to focus on this by delivering superior results for Bohemia’s clients.
“’Bohemia is proud of our relationship with STW. We foster healthy relationships with any agency we share a client with, STW owned or not with client results first always. Ikon is a great agency and I wish them all the best in the restructure,’ Mr Dawson said.”
Johns’ sacking yesterday, along with national digital director Ellie Rogers and people and culture director Leonie Kerley plus two others, has led to wild – and at times contradictory – speculation about the reasons behind the move.
White has so far declined invitations to be interviewed.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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Look into my eyes, look into the eyes, the eyes, the eyes, not around the eyes, don’t look around the eyes, look into my eyes
(clicks)
you’re under.
When you wake up you will believe that there are no plans to merge Ikon and Bohemia and that no one is considering me for the role of CEO.
3, 2, 1, you’re back in the room.
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