WPP’s J. Walter Thompson agrees to acquire a majority stake in Cleartag, a regional full-service digital marketing agency. The digital agency will continue to trade as Cleartag, while strengthening J. Walter Thompson’s digital offering in the MENA region. Currently, its digital offering is represented by Heathwallace in the UAE and KSA.

Cleartag was established in 2000 by current CEO and co-founder, Tarek Dajani, along with his team of managing partners: Omar Abou Ezzeddine, Wissam Malaeb and Nour Abou Alwan-Lagier. The agency has offices in Beirut and Dubai, but its services cover the MENA region. It offers cross-digital services including strategic consultancy, UX/UI design, social and online media management and analytics, web and mobile development, animation and motion design, and ambient media experiences. Its clients include Bank Audi, ABC shopping mall, touch, Dubai Tourism & Commerce Marketing, Dubai Expo 2020 and du.

“J. Walter Thompson is always looking at where the future is headed, which is why we have had Cleartag in our sight for some time. What made them stand out from other technology companies was our shared passion for ideas and being solutions orientated,” says Vatche Keverian, J. Walter Thompson MENA’s CEO in a press statement.

Tarek Dajani considers the deal “a perfect fast-forward button” for his team. “As our business and capabilities grew, we knew we needed to further expand our reach to match our ambitions. We found J. Walter Thompson to be a superb fit for Cleartag both commercially and culturally. This deal will fulfill our team’s passion for ongoing learning as it provides us with a unique opportunity to tap into the extensive knowledge and global expertise within the J. Walter Thompson Company and the WPP group,” he says.