Chinese group BlueFocus takes majority stake in We Are Social

Chinese marketing services group BlueFocus Communications is acquiring a majority stake in social media agency network We Are Social as it looks to expand its footprint outside of China, Mumbrella can reveal.

The investment, subject to Chinese regulatory approval, will see BlueFocus buy an 82.8 per cent interest in We Are Social for an initial consideration of $34 million, and will see We Are Social become the holding group’s primary digital agency brand.

BlueFocus owns public relations, media buying, experiential, digital, digital advertising and network gaming businesses in China, including Blue Digital (formerly BlueFocus PR), and has international interests in healthcare communications consultancy Huntsworth and Financial PR based in Singapore.

We Are Social co-founder and global managing partner Nathan McDonald told Mumbrella: “We will remain independent, of course there will be more liaison going on between mostly the global We Are Social team and the BlueFocus team but in terms of staffing it will remain the same at a leadership level.