Dentsu Aegis Network strengthens digital offering in Australia through acquisition of Scorch

Dentsu Aegis Network today announces the acquisition of leading performance marketing agency Scorch Pty Ltd (Scorch) in Australia. Scorch will become Scorch iProspect, joining the existing global performance marketing agency iProspect and adding scale to the network’s digital capabilities in the market, within search and more diversified areas of performance marketing, including content, UX, data, web development and social.

Founded in 2006 by digital specialists Terence Hooi and Kevin Hooi, Scorch is headquartered in Melbourne with offices in Sydney and Manila. With a strong team of 50 digital experts, the agency offers digital consulting across a wide range of performance marketing services, including search, social, content, UX, web development and owns proprietary technology including Remarket360, Definico and PEM.

Following the acquisition, Scorch Founders Terence Hooi and Kevin Hooi will continue to manage all operations of Scorch, retaining their current roles of CEO and COO respectively reporting to Dan Kalinski, CEO iProspect Australia.

Nick Waters, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Asia Pacific, said: “Scorch adds further to our Group’s performance leadership in Australia with specific capability in user experience, content and social search. The agency has deep specialist capability which will provide further competitive advantage for our clients. As the market moves increasingly in this direction the addition of Scorch will help us satisfy demand.”

Ruth Stubbs, CEO of iProspect Asia Pacific, commented: “An acquisition of a business with the tenure, reputation and capabilities of Scorch is an extremely rare and a timely opportunity to bring a new offering into iProspect Australia and the region. Scorch brings to iProspect added benefits that will help bring new and diverse skills to our clients. I have no doubt that the existing entrepreneurial DNA this leadership team represents to iProspect and Dentsu Aegis, will further secure our ambition to become the preeminent digital performance network in the region.”

Terence Hooi, Founder and CEO of Scorch, said: “It is rare opportunity to join an organisation that shares the same strategic vision and values of integrity and innovation that we hold dear. The digital-first strategic direction of Dentsu Aegis Network makes it a very natural partner for Scorch. We are very excited to embark on this new opportunity and the continued evolution of the business that the team and I built from the ground up over 10 years ago.”

The acquisition includes Scorch’s operations in Sydney (SearchFound Pty Ltd) and in Manila (Scorch Philippines).

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For further information contact:

Pei Xuan Lim 
Communications Manager
Dentsu Aegis Network APAC
T: +6565011693
E: peixuan.lim@dentsuaegis.com

Notes to Editors:

About Dentsu Aegis Network

 Part of Dentsu Inc., Dentsu Aegis Network is made up of nine global network brands - Carat, Dentsu, Dentsu media, iProspect, Isobar, mcgarrybowen, MKTG, Posterscope and Vizeum and supported by its specialist/multi-market brands. Dentsu Aegis Network is Innovating the Way Brands Are Built for its clients through its best-in-class expertise and capabilities in media, digital and creative communications services. Offering a distinctive and innovative range of products and services, Dentsu Aegis Network is headquartered in London and operates in 145 countries worldwide with around 32,000 dedicated specialists.