WPP buys Dutch design agency

Media agency WPP has acquired Dutch design agency Central Holding Du Bois Ording (dBOD) for an undisclosed sum.

The full-service agency, which specialises in packaging design, corporate design, digital media and retail design, employs 38 people at its headquarters in Amsterdam and an office in Shanghai.

Following the acquisition it will merge with Dutch design agency VBAT, which is a wholly-owned operating company of WPP, to strengthen the latter’s offer in the Netherlands and elsewhere. The merged companies will operate under the name VBAT.

For the year ended 31 December 2014, dBOD’s revenues were around €3.3m, with gross assets of approximately €2.6m.

WPP said the deal continues its “strategy of investing in important markets and sectors”.

At 1120 BST, WPP shares were down 0.2% to 1,601p.