MTC MERGES WITH OGILVY

CB hears that Auckland shops MTC (formerly known as Meares Taine) and AdvertisingWorks Ogilvy are merging, to be named Ogilvy, with combined billings of around $110m, making it one of the top four in NZ.
Sources say AdWorks Ogilvy MD Greg Partington (who has nearly 50 percent of the agency, the rest owned by WPP) has been in secret negotiations with MTC for some time, and the two have penned a deal which will see Adworks buy out MTC and absorb all staff. MTC owners Jeremy Taine and Roy Meares will help run the combined business. Josh Lancaster and Jamie Hitchcock, the senior creative team at MTC will take over the running of the brand side of the Ogilvy business. The retail side of the Ogilvy remains unscathed.