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SCD Advisory acted as sole M&A adviser to The Reload Group on their sale to Hardie Grant

Posted On : 06th April 2022

SCD Advisory is pleased to announce that it has advised digital marketing agency The Reload Group on its sale to Hardie Grant Media.

Hardie Grant Media adds Reload Media as fourth agency in network.

The Reload Group is made up of Reload Media, UK-based eCommerce and retail agency Reload Digital, and digital transformation consulting firm Reload Consulting.

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Reload management team: (L to R) Alexandra Gannon, Marnie Whitten and Craig Somerville

Reload will continue under the leadership of managing director Craig Somerville, supported by Reload Media managing director Alexandra Gannon, general manager of growth & development Marnie Whitten and Reload Digital general manager Adam Clarke. Revenue for the agency for the last financial year topped $12.6 million (excluding media).

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Reload is the fourth agency to join Hardie Grant Media’s marketing network, with content agency Heads & Tales, PR agency tide.pr, and production company Sherpa, which it acquired in 2018.

The acquisition marks Hardie Grant Media’s first presence in Brisbane as well as a team of 25 in London. According to a media release, the acquisition gives Reload the opportunity to launch in Sydney and Melbourne.

Hardie Grant Media group managing director Nick Hardie-Grant said: “We’ve worked closely with Reload for a few years now as a partner and a client and have a lot of respect for the team and the business. Solidifying this partnership is extremely exciting for us and will give our clients much easier access to a huge range of digital and performance marketing skills, as well as inject market-leading experience into our broader business.”

Nick Hardie-Grant

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Somerville said: “This partnership made a lot of sense for us. Our cultures are aligned, and we have a complementary offering that will benefit clients on both sides greatly. Getting that fit right was incredibly important to us and we’re excited about continuing our growth trajectory as part of Hardie Grant.”

After 16 years, Reload Group founder Llew Jury, who has been a non-executive director of Reload since 2016, has retired from the Board. Jury is an investor and managing partner at venture capital firm Sprint Ventures.

Hardie Grant Media is part of Hardie Grant, an independent publishing and media business.

Commenting on SCD Advisory’s role in the transaction, Craig Somerville, MD of The Reload Group said:

 

It’s been a pleasure working with the SCD Advisory team. I’d like to thank them for their advice on this journey which started a few years ago, to the support throughout which resulted in Reload joining a very culturally aligned business with plenty of opportunities to deliver together in Australia and overseas. We were impressed by the professionalism, expertise and energy exhibited by the SCD team – and we’re excited for where all that will lead next for Reload.

 

Pierre Briand, Founder of SCD Advisory added:

 

We were thrilled by Reload’s impact and achievement on the digital media market. We have been delighted to support their shareholders and stakeholders in finding the right strategic and cultural partner. We wish Reload and Hardie Grant great success in their shared endeavors. It was a pleasure to work with such an efficient and nice team.

At SCD Advisory, we offer a range of services from deal preparation to transaction execution. Contact us at info@scdadvisory.com to find out more.

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Pierre Briand preview image
Written by: Pierre Briand, Founder & Managing Partner

Pierre brings 25 years of expertise in advising entrepreneurs, with a deep background in management and financial advisory across corporate finance, private banking, and wealth management. His extensive experience includes numerous sell-side and buy-side deals, IPOs, mergers, integrations, and consulting projects for both small businesses and large global corporations. As an established and highly regarded advisor, Pierre is known for his savvy, trusted guidance.

Pierre’s career began in Australia before he moved to France, where he worked with prominent business figures like billionaire François Pinault on M&A deals within the Artemis group. He then founded BC&D, an M&A small-cap firm in Paris, where he managed corporate advisory services across Europe, covering both origination and execution. His work extended beyond transactions, advising entrepreneurs on wealth management strategies to optimise the transition from business ownership.

In Paris, he held advisory roles at the Belgium Family Office (DeGroof) and as a senior private banker and head of the HNW segment for France at JP Morgan. Returning to Australia in 2015, Pierre established the ANZ subsidiary of a UK-headquartered M&A firm, executing 9 M&A transactions across Australia. In 2019, he launched SCD Advisory, where he has since completed 35+ transactions, earning multiple global awards in M&A advisory from 2021 to 2024. Notably, he was named ‘Deal Maker of the Year’ by Finance Monthly in 2022 for his sale of Hypothesis to McKinsey & Co.

Pierre graduated from the Business of Troyes in France and has a postgraduate in Corporate Finance from the University of Caen. He is also a certified Financial Analyst and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). Pierre further enhanced his credentials by completing the “Leading Professional Services Firms” program at Harvard Business School. His track record and accolades highlight his dedication to excellence and his exceptional skill in delivering successful outcomes for his clients.

Pierre is French, Australian citizen, Overseas Citizen of India. He is married and has two children. He is passionate about international travel, gastronomy, sailing and golf. As an experienced sailor, his motto in business and life in general is: “We cannot direct the wind, but we can trim the sails”

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