Instinctif Partners MENA acquired by Italy's Excellera

Campaign ME

28-05-2025

Excellera Advisory Group, a corporate affairs advisory group based in Italy, has acquired Instinctif Partners MENA, a leading strategic communications consultancy in the MENA region.
The acquisition aligns with Excellera's growth strategy launched in 2022 with the strategic and financial support of Xenon Private Equity. The move also aims to further consolidate the Group's position as a reference point in corporate affairs.
This deal will give Excellera a significant presence in the Middle East and Arabic-speaking North African markets, where Instinctif Partners MENA has built a strong presence over the past 12 years.
The company will retain the same management team, led by founder CEO Samantha Bartel, and will operate under a new name, IP Excellera, marking the change in ownership of the company and Excellera's expanding footprint in one of the world's fastest-growing and most dynamic markets.
'We are delighted to be joining Excellera Advisory Group for the next stage of our growth journey. It has been an amazing 12 years since we established in MENA and I'd like to thank all colleagues for their hard work and dedication and clients for their loyalty, who have made it so special over the years,' said Bartel.
With the addition of IP Excellera, the Group claims its total turnover will exceed $75 million, with a team of more than 350 professionals, further extending its international footprint.
IP Excellera's offices in Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Dubai will expand the Group's global network, which already includes locations in Bergamo, Berlin, Brussels, Genoa, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, New York, Paris, Rome, and Treviso, bringing the total to 15 locations worldwide.
Gianfranco Piras, Chairman of Excellera Advisory Group and Partner at Xenon Private Equity, said: 'The acquisition of IP MENA marks a fundamental step in Excellera's growth journey, confirming the soundness of our investment strategy and the Group's ability to attract high-value companies in fast-growing markets.'
IP Excellera will operate as an integrated strategic advisory firm with offers across strategic communications, capital markets and investor relations, corporate reporting, and ESG & sustainability. A team of 60 talented consultants, drawn from the world's leading financial, government, and academic institutions, offers clients best-in-class advice to help them navigate risk, reputation, and change.
The company also claims to represent clients in the public and private sectors and has a portfolio of more than 100 corporate clients with a combined market value of over $3 trillion.
'At Xenon Private Equity, we have believed from the very beginning in the creation of a strong, competitive Group capable of establishing itself as a leading player in the corporate affairs sector and serving as a platform for further aggregation,' Piras said. 'Entering the MENA region strengthens Excellera's platform and broadens its scope, laying the foundations for long-term growth.'
Leadership at IP Excellera claims the company has achieved more than 20 per cent annual growth for the last 5 years, cementing its position as a leading advisory firm in the region and setting a strong basis for growth in partnership with Excellera.
'This transaction is another important step in our international development strategy,' said Paolo Zanetto, CEO of Excellera Advisory Group, on the acquisition. 'In an increasingly interconnected world, the EMEA region has become a natural arena for those, like us, who provide strategic advice on complex and global issues,' he added.
IP Excellera's integrated service offering aims to be complementary to Excellera's strength in financial communications and its leading position in M&A in Europe, which will enable organic growth across the Group.
'We will continue to build our value proposition so we can consistently offer our clients the very best advice across strategic communications, capital markets and investor relations, corporate reporting, and ESG & sustainability and service our growing client roster even better,' Bartel added.
Finally, Julian Walker, CEO of Instinctif Partners, also commented on the acquisition, following the sale.
'On behalf of us all, I thank Sam and her team for such consistently great work and send our very best wishes for their future as part of Excellera,' he said, noting the new potential of IP Excellera's new journey.