Second generation of Meerkats leaders officially recognised with six new shareholders announced

Meerkats has announced six new shareholders today in a move that the owners say is to secure a future for the company that is both successful and independent. The new shareholders all come from within the senior ranks of Meerkats’ staff and represent many of the key disciplines required to manage a modern brand leadership company.

“We’ve been approached a few times to join an agency network,” said co-founder Ronnie Duncan, “And each time the benefits of being part of a multi-national brand have been outweighed by a fierce desire among Meerkats’ owners and staff to prove that we can do it ourselves, in our own way. This new share sale is recognition of that. We’ve got the talent in every key area of our own meerkat mob to push our company to the next level of work and profit.”

Gavin Bain, CEO: “While many agency heads sell down their shareholding and start thinking of that winery down south, we are a building a second generation of owners from within our own ranks. This is a double-edged strategy to both continue developing Meerkats as a world class media-neutral brand leadership company, and to allow the original authors of Meerkats’ philosophy to explore the future of brand purpose and indeed the future of capitalism itself. The benefits of both are massive and exciting.”

The share transfers all come from the shareholding of co-founders Ronnie Duncan and Mike Edmonds; but suggest that it’s a part of the founders’ retirement plans and you’re likely to get a nasty bite from an angry meerkat.

“To misquote Mark Twain, the reports of our departure are greatly exaggerated.” said co-founder Mike Edmonds, “Ronnie and I are still by far the biggest shareholders of the company and there’s no planned changes to the board, with Ronnie, Gav and myself being the only three directors for the foreseeable future.”

The new shareholders are: Martin Beecroft, Head of Innovation; Paul Coghlan, Deputy Creative Director; Wendy Edmonds, Head of Finance; Jason Lees, Studio Manager; Will Peart, Head of Client Service; Sam Rees, Head of Operations.

They join Meerkats’ current shareholders Gavin Bain, CEO, Ronnie Duncan, Director of Brand Strategy and Mike Edmonds, Director of Brand Expression.

Pictured : Meerkats shareholders outside their new offices in Subiaco (left to right) Paul Coghlan, Ronnie Duncan, Sam Rees, Jason Lees, Gavin Bain, Will Peart, Martin Beecroft, Wendy Edmonds, Mike Edmonds.