Edge Marketing and Alpha Salmon among STW’s Southeast Asia investments

Edge is a leading communications agency in Vietnam and Thailand. With principal offices in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hanoi, the company employs more than 400 people. Its major clients include Diageo, Citibank, Mead Johnson, Microsoft, Samsung and HSBC. 



Edge's chairman Patrick Pitcher said the company had built a "very successful" business since it was founded in 2004. “The STW Group recognised that our agency model, based on making creative connections through data, digital and direct marketing, perfectly positions us for future growth.”

Pitcher described the deal with STW Group as the best of both worlds. “First, their model allows us to continue operating independently. Second, with a network of over 70 specialist communication companies, STW brings expertise, capabilities and resources to accelerate our growth and the sophistication of our digital product offering.”

STW Group had made its Southeast Asia aspirations known earlier in the year, as part of a three-pillared strategic growth focus to drive more growth in Australia and New Zealand, to continue to grow and dominate in digital, and to selectively and carefully expand its footprint into new markets in Asia.

“Our investigations in Asia clearly demonstrated we have intellectual property and capability within STW which we can export and grow fast in Asia, both through opening our own capabilities in the right market, and also by investing in and then adding momentum and differentiation to leading an established 'on the ground' businesses,” said chief executive officer Michael Connaghan. “We also found STW Group's 'local' characteristics and accessibility was warmly welcomed by potential vendors. This has enabled us to essentially cherry-pick our first step into Asia, and we're delighted with the outcome.”

Growth plans will also see the opening in Jakarta and Singapore of offices of Alpha Salmon, a wholly owned and highly successful STW Group digital solutions business.

And STW will acquire 51 per cent of the Australian digital marketing and technology services agency Bullseye, effective from 1 January next year. The agency operates in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Indonesia with clients including Austrade, Blackmores, Lend Lease, Goodman Fielder, Westpac, Bupa and Roche.