BIMA House | M&A Meets AI: The New Agency Success Formula

This is an invite-only event. If you’d like to attend, please email us at events@bima.co.uk

BIMA House @ SXSW London

This June, SXSW London will be the stage for bold, big ideas at the forefront of technology and creativity. As an official partner, BIMA House is transforming The Joiner on Worship into a dynamic community hub for two days of curated events, designed to spark conversations, share insights, and connect industry leaders. Learn more HERE.

Join Moore Kingston Smith for a roundtable discussion on how AI is reshaping creativity, agency valuation, and the future of the marketing services industry.

AI isn’t replacing creativity, it’s redefining it. As the marketing services industry continues to grow, evolution isn’t optional for agencies. Agencies that merely keep up will be left behind; those that lead, set trends, and know what AI can and can’t fix will direct the future.

AI integration is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ – it is a core driver of productivity, scale, and ultimately, valuation. Within 18–24 months, AI-readiness won’t just shape agency performance, it will define who gets to the table when the biggest deals are made.

What to expect:

• The evolving role of AI as an enabler in the marketing services sector
• Why AI-readiness will make or break your agency’s valuation
• Key findings from Moore Kingston Smith Media M&A analysis of global deal activity
• The impact of AI on operational efficiency, decision-making, and creative processes
• The future outlook and strategic implications for agencies and investors

Moore Kingston Smith will also be sharing the latest findings from thei AI Pulse Survey, offering a snapshot of how your peers in the industry are using AI.

Who is it for?

This roundtable will provide a platform for industry leaders to share their perspectives, discuss challenges, and identify opportunities. Whether you’re already implementing AI or just starting to explore its potential, we look forward to your participation in this discussion.

Are you attending BIMA House? Let everyone know!
Download your attendee asset HERE and shout about it on social. Don’t forget to tag @BIMA and use #BIMAHouse.

Speaker line-up:

Esther Carder, Partner, Head of Media – Moore Kingston Smith

Esther Carder heads the marketing services department and is a senior partner within the media sector team, based in the West End office.

With over 30 years’ experience, Esther’s clients span small owner-managed businesses to larger private equity-owned and international organisations in the media space. She has been a partner specialising in the media sector for over 20 years, an area she is passionate about. She describes the sector as not only interesting but motivating because of the energetic and entrepreneurial people it attracts. In her own words: “If there can be a sexy area of accountancy, then media is it!”

Esther’s media experience ranges from providing audit opinions to specialist areas such as employee incentive schemes, valuations, EOTs and strategic growth services. She also works closely on M&A transactions, giving guidance on the journey towards exit events as well as support throughout the transaction. Her extensive knowledge of the sector means she can add commerciality to the advice she gives through an in-depth understanding of the complete life cycle of a media business and how to realise value. Her clients appreciate her professional, collaborative and approachable manner and her ability to deliver business advice in an unambiguous and easy-to-understand way.

Esther speaks regularly at industry events, is widely quoted in trade press and is Treasurer of BIMA. She is also the editor of our Annual Survey on the financial performance of marketing services companies in the UK.

Paul Winterflood, Partner, Head of Corporate Finance Media – Moore Kingston Smith

Paul Winterflood leads the firm’s Media Corporate Finance team specialising in transactions in the media and technology sectors. Paul regularly speaks and contributes on the topic of ‘Selling Your Media Business’, and the media and technology M&A landscape

Paul has experience advising entrepreneurs, strategic acquirers and private equity investors. He is passionate about the importance of creativity and culture to getting deals done. Clients appreciate this, his sector knowledge and experience as well as his commercial and straight-talking approach to deal-making.

Some of the notable transactions that Paul has advised include the sales of Total Media to Mediaplus, 23Red to Capgemini, People Made to the Positive Change Group, the Theatre Royal Haymarket to Access Entertainment and 2i’s investment from Rockpool.

Are you attending BIMA House? Let everyone know!
Download your attendee asset HERE and shout about it on social. Don’t forget to tag @BIMA and use #BIMAHouse.

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