AVENIR GLOBAL, the Montreal-based holding and management company, today announced that it has acquired Thinks Insight and Strategy, a leading London-based consultancy specialising in cutting-edge insight-led advisory, research and evaluation.
Founded in 2010 by Ben Shimshon and Viki Cooke alongside Baroness Deborah Mattinson (who left the business in 2021), Thinks has built a strong reputation for combining rigorous research with strategic insight to advise clients across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Shimshon will continue to lead Thinks as CEO, reporting to Michael Evans, President and Managing Partner of two AVENIR GLOBAL brands, Cherry and Madano.
Thinks will operate as a distinct business within AVENIR GLOBAL’s network, collaborating closely with its U.K. and international agencies, including AXON, Cherry, Hanover and Madano, to deliver integrated, outcomes-focussed solutions for clients.
Commenting on the acquisition, Michael Evans, said:
“Thinks brings outstanding strategic and analytical capability to the AVENIR GLOBAL network. Their ability to translate insight into clear, actionable strategy is exactly what clients need in an increasingly complex environment. This acquisition reflects our continued commitment to investing in specialist expertise that strengthens the value we deliver globally.”
Ben Shimshon, CEO of Thinks Insight and Strategy, added:
“Joining AVENIR GLOBAL is an exciting next step for Thinks Insight and Strategy. We share a belief in the power of evidence-based thinking and the importance of insight in shaping effective communications and policy. Being part of a global network of specialist agencies gives us new opportunities to grow our impact while staying true to what makes Thinks distinctive.”
AVENIR GLOBAL employs close to 1,000 people in eight countries, with offices across Canada, the United States, Europe and the Middle East. The addition of Thinks further enhances the group’s strategic and research capability, supporting its ambition to be a global leader in communications and advisory services.
About AVENIR GLOBAL
AVENIR GLOBAL is a Montreal-based holding and management company with an active operations mindset and a hands-on approach to all its investments. A global powerhouse of specialist communications firms, AVENIR GLOBAL has 1,000 staff and offices in 22 locations across Canada, the U.S., Europe and the Middle East, and ranks among the top 25 largest communication firms in the world.
In Canada, AVENIR GLOBAL owns NATIONAL Public Relations, the country’s leading public relations firm, servicing clients across a wide range of sectors, and Time & Space, a leading insights, media strategy, and execution agency. In the United States, AVENIR GLOBAL owns SHIFT Communications, a data-driven integrated communications agency; and the public relations and communication company Padilla, which includes the brand consultancy Joe Smith and the food and nutrition experts at FoodMinds. In Europe, AVENIR GLOBAL owns the London-based strategic communications consultancy Madano and Hanover, one of the leading strategic communications and public affairs consultancies in Europe and the Middle East, with offices in London, Brussels, Dublin, Dubai, and Riyadh. The AVENIR GLOBAL network also includes healthcare specialists AXON, with offices in Toronto, the U.S., the U.K. and Europe and healthcare creative agency Cherry, based in London.
About Thinks Insight and Strategy
Thinks Insight and Strategy is a London-based consultancy specialising in research, insight and strategy. Thinks works with organisations across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors to help them understand audiences, shape strategy and demonstrate impact.