Elevate and FieldSmart merge

Elevate Retail Solutions, one of the UK’s fastest-growing sales activation agencies, has announced that it is to join forces with FieldSmart to further enhance its offering.

Elevate was founded by Mark Sheard and Richard Finch in 2008 and has enjoyed rapid growth, building a blue-chip client base that includes Camelot, AB-InBev, Budgen/Londis and Nokia. Elevate has also picked up a consistent string of FMBE awards.

FieldSmart was established in May 2009, having previously been a division of PMI Group which, since its creation in 1991, has been a leading name UK field marketing. FieldSmart clients include Kodak, Procter & Gamble, Dairy Crest and Punch Taverns. FieldSmart and Elevate will continue to operate as separate brands under a divisional structure with a single company, Elevate Retail Solutions Ltd.

Elevate chief executive, Mark Sheard, stated that “Our goal is to build a sales activation business of exceptional value. We are seeking to be the agency of choice for blue-chip clients with profitable and long-term contracts to place who are truly looking for a value-adding partner. Over five years we have made significant progress towards this goal. For both Elevate and FieldSmart the opportunity to enhance our proposition further by scaling up resources and introducing additional complementary expertise aligned with our respective business strategies and seemed too good to miss. Elevate has enjoyed spectacular growth since we founded it in 2008, and this provides us with a great platform for further growth. Combining FieldSmart’s expertise in grocery multiples with that of Elevate in the Convenience and Independent channel will bring enormous benefits to our clients and staff”.

FieldSmart founder and MD, Gail Tunesi, will continue in her role as MD of the FieldSmart division. Commenting she says “Our two companies share the same enterprising philosophy and approach to quality field marketing operations and, have been in discussions for some months. In terms of FieldSmart’s service delivery to its clients, there will initially be little or no change to our operation.

In the short-term we will continue to operate from FieldSmart’s offices in Maidenhead, and in the future, we will seek to consolidate infrastructure and back office functions to drive efficiency and best practice.”

Elevate MD Richard Finch commented “This merger provides us with an opportunity to cross-fertilize and jointly benefit from an array of important initiatives currently being undertaken by both companies – ensuring that we remain leaders in our fields. Like FieldSmart our culture has always been enterprising and inspiring, and we have always striven to deliver market leading initiatives and Gold Standard execution – not only for our clients but also in our relationships with all our staff, suppliers and service providers. Joining forces with FieldSmart will bring major benefits to our clients, staff and suppliers.”