Oceans becomes part of ARC – significant growth ambitions in the Nordics
The Norwegian agency and consultancy group Oceans becomes part of the Nordic consultancy group ARC Arise Consulting (ARC). Combined the new company is one of the largest consultancy groups in the Nordics, with 1,200 consultants specializing in strategy, technology, innovation, design, and communication.
““It was a perfect match from the start with ARC. We share the same mindset, both in terms of developing companies and how we work with projects and customers related to growth and change initiatives. ARC’s interest is a testimony to the great efforts from all our colleagues over time, and it gives new and exciting opportunities as we embark on our next journey together”
The new company employs around 150 employees and 10 companies in Norway. Oceans currently consists of the advertising agencies Los & Co, Los & Co Drammen, and Aleksander Reklamebyrå, the consulting and growth company Tba, the design agency Neue, and the technology company Modulær.
Nordic Platform
ARC acquires the shares in Oceans. The partners in Ocean reinvest substantial parts of the transaction in ARC and become key to ARC’s Nordic strategy. Oceans and ARC have already collaborated on several projects in Norway.
“"We are incredibly pleased to join forces with Oceans in Norway. An exceptionally good match because, like us, they have built up a collective of consultancy companies working together to create greater value for their customers and better development opportunities for their employees. In addition, we share values and ambitions. Together with our existing ARC companies in Norway and Sweden, we now have a Nordic platform that creates even better conditions for driving positive change for customers, employees, and the planet”
Both companies engage in growth and change projects related to new business areas, new products, or new revenue streams. With Oceans, ARC now comprises 20 agencies and specialist companies in Europe across seven countries.
International insights and expertise
The Ocean companies will continue to operate with their own brands and existing organizational structure after the transaction. Fosseidbråten highlights that customers will benefit from the new and combined company.
“We now have greater power to invest and enter the market with a strengthened portfolio of services and products. Oceans is characterized by distinct companies profiting on each other’s resources and this will be a key feature going forward. As part of ARC, customers gain access to more expertise and can take advantage from knowledge sharing in a larger system, while employees can expand their consulting with expertise from multiple disciplines”, says Fosseidbråten.
In 2023, Oceans delivered a revenue growth of 12 percent to NOK 280 million and more than tripled the operating results. In recent years, the company has delivered extensive campaigns and consultancy projects for key Norwegian companies such as Å Energi, One Call, Apotek1 and Kongsberg Gruppen.
Searching for new consultants
ARC has strong growth ambitions in both Norway and the Nordics, with plans to further expand the group of companies into management consulting, innovation and technology consulting. In the coming years, the new company will recruit consultants and specialists in Norway.
“We will hire several skilled employees with a broad spectrum of expertise in the coming years, who will benefit from a comprehensive system with the best consultants across the Nordics. This creates opportunities to participate in the most exciting customer projects”, says Fosseidbråten.
ARC already owns the Norwegian agencies Heydays and Goods, as well as the management and marketing consultancy companies Curamando and Conversionista. The company is partner-owned and has the private equity firm Altor as a significant external owner.
About Oceans
The consultancy group Oceans comprises the advertising agencies Los & Co, Los & Co Drammen and Aleksander Reklamebyrå, the consultancy and growth company Tba, the design agency Neue and the technology company Modulær. The company is partner-owned and led by founder Jan Christian Fosseidbråten.
Oceans was launched as a group of specialist companies within management consulting, technology, design and communication in 2022. The various companies work both individually on specific projects and together on larger clients that require interdisciplinary expertise. During the past year, the company have been working on several growth projects that are linked to customers’ new business areas, new products and new types of revenue.
Contact and more information:
Oceans
Jan Christian Fosseidbråten
CEO, Oceans
E-mail: jcf@oceans.as
Phone: +47 90681250
Eidra is a consultancy collective bringing together a unique group of leading companies in strategy, creativity, and innovation. Our companies provide businesses with the concentrated expertise they need to deliver sustainable commercial advantage, at speed. We help leaders create Great Change: the exponential growth that only happens at the intersection of different perspectives.
Born in the Nordics and headquartered in Stockholm, we have found kindred spirits around the world, building strong operations in the Nordics, the Netherlands, and the US.
Today, Eidra includes Above, Ariel, Alexander Reklamebyrå, Conversionista, Cupole, Curamando, Curious Mind, Fabrique, Goods, Heydays, Kurppa Hosk, Kurppa Hosk Communications, Los & Co, Mission Anew, Neue, Tba, Q42, and Umain. We are now 1,200+ strong: strategists, creatives, and engineers, built on a foundation of management consultancy competency that allows us to move effortlessly between strategy and implementation.
Eidra is driven by its active founders and shareholders, who collaborate with minority owners Altor Equity Partners, leveraging their strategic investments to develop the consultancy collective.
Elin Kiw
Head of Communications, Eidra
Email: elin.kiw@eidra.com
Phone: +46 70 777 2267