Impact XM and Jack Morton, two leading global brand experience agencies, have announced, 21 January, that they are merging.

The new unified agency will be supported by global investment firm The Riverside Company and will operate under the Jack Morton name.

The agencies bring complementary strengths and their statement said they intend to create “a fully integrated experiential offering designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s leading brands”.

The combined agency will work across 20 offices spanning North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific and offer experiential services including large scale conferences, digital engagement, sponsorship, brand activations, trade shows, corporate events, B2B experiences, and healthcare congresses, among other live event services.

The combined agency will serve some of the world’s most recognisable brands, including many Fortune 100 companies.

“Impact XM has been evolving toward a more integrated, global model for years,” said Jared Pollacco, CEO of Impact XM. “We’ve always believed that creativity, innovation, and exceptional execution are what move people, and this union accelerates that vision for both our clients and our teams. The merger brings together Impact XM’s unified experiential approach and Jack Morton’s global scale and creative strength.”

“This is a pivotal moment. Together, we’re building an agency ready for a marketing landscape reshaped by AI – one that keeps real, human experience at the centre,” said Craig Millon, CEO of Jack Morton. “With combined creative, strategic, and executional capabilities, we can offer deeper expertise, broader scale, and a cohesive end-to-end model for clients. And because our cultures share the same people-first values and passion for delivering extraordinary experiences, we’re stronger together and so is the work we’ll create.”

The agencies also bring together more than 1,000 specialists.

The merger is subject to customary approvals and is expected to close in Q1 2026, with leadership teams from both organisations working closely to ensure a seamless transition for employees and clients.

Pollacco will serve as CEO of the unified agency and Millon will serve as global president. Josh McCall, the CEO of Jack Morton from 2003 until his retirement in 2022, will serve as executive chairman of the board of directors.

Grant Gregory of Gregory & Hoenemeyer Inc. acted as financial advisor to Impact XM and The Riverside Company on the transaction.

Jack Morton’s transition to private ownership follows its sale by Omnicom, creating the opportunity for the unified agency to operate independently.

Source: www.exhibitionworld.co.uk