LLYC will acquire Dattis to strengthen its position in Colombia and Latin America

Today, we announced an agreement to acquire Dattis Comunicaciones, a leading Colombian communications company that offers professional services related to communication, public affairs, and PR marketing.

This acquisition aims to make our company the top player in the sector in Colombia and strengthen our leadership in Latin America.

We have been operating in Colombia since 2001. Through this agreement, we consolidate a combined revenue in the country exceeding 12 million euros, along with a portfolio of over 140 national and international clients. As of now, we will establish a strong presence in Bogotá and Medellín, with a team of over 175 professionals specializing in key areas of Marketing and Corporate Affairs.

“Colombia has always been one of our key markets in Latin America, and our local operation has grown exponentially over the past 11 years to become one of the main references in the market. Adding Dattis’ talent, size, and expertise to our value proposition means taking an even greater leap in our capacity, business vision, and offering to our clients in the country,” highlighted Juan Carlos Gozzer, CEO of LLYC for Latin America.

We will acquire an initial stake of 78.69% in Dattis at a valuation of six times Ebitda. Andres Ortiz, Senior Partner, will retain the remaining 21.31%, which will be incorporated through a later share exchange with LLYC Colombia. Additionally, Dario Vargas, the company’s founding partner, will sell all of his stake, as well as that of other minority partners.

“Colombia is a market where the professionalization and, consequently, the contribution of communication, public affairs management, and marketing already play a significant role in companies’ direction and leadership. This acquisition will enable us to amplify LLYC’s impact, further driving our evolution to address the new realities. I’m deeply excited to see this deal come to fruition as it materializes a vision that I’ve shared with Jose Antonio Llorente for years,” stated Maria Esteve, partner and general director of Corporate Affairs for Latin America at LLYC.

“This milestone fills us with excitement. Over the past 25 years, Dattis has solidified its position as a leading communication company in Colombia,” explained Andres Ortiz, Senior Partner of Dattis. “Now, with our integration into LLYC, we’re embarking on an exciting new chapter. This marks a tremendous opportunity for our team and boosts our client solutions. It’s the realization of a vision that began with Dario Vargas, Dattis’ founder, and has been strengthened by our current management team. This acquisition not only benefits our shareholders but also secures a promising future for our organization.”

Dattis will become part of our group and will continue to operate during 2024 under the Dattis by LLYC brand, parallel to our Colombian operation. We will focus on integrating our operations with a goal for the year 2025. 

Andres Ortiz will continue leading Dattis, with Camila Gomez Pardo as President. Starting in 2025, under the LLYC brand, Ortiz, Gomez, and Alejandra Aljure, LLYC Colombia’s current general manager, will lead the unified structure.

“Dattis and LLYC share a vision of excellence and added value. Together, we’ll explore complementary opportunities to grow our current offering, benefit our clients and nurture our team,” said David Gonzalez Natal, LLYC’s Managing Director for North Latam.

Dattis Comunicaciones, established 25 years ago, is a leading provider of communication services in Colombia. It has over 100 employees, serves 80 clients, and has offices in Bogotá and Medellín, with plans to expand into Peru and Ecuador. 

The company has established itself as a key partner for many businesses, particularly, large national organizations, providing innovative brand reputation management and positioning across corporate communication, crisis management, public affairs, PR marketing, influence, creativity, and content.

This acquisition aligns with our Strategic Plan to invest 40 million euros in inorganic growth in high-potential markets, solidifying our positions us as the sector leader in the Colombian market and driving our accelerated growth in Latin America. We have now concluded our twelfth operation in nine years with this acquisition, including the notable purchase of Lambert in the US for 16.8 million euros, our largest acquisition to date.

Currently, we operate from 27 locations worldwide and are considered one of the leading communication companies globally, according to PR Week and PRovoke rankings. Since 2020, we have doubled our size and recurrent EBITDA. Last year, operational revenues grew by 14%, reaching 83.1 million euros.