The World: Brindley deal strengthens Aegis' Irish position.

By adding Brindley to its Carat and Vizeum brands, Aegis has upped its investment in the Irish market.

Aegis' decision to buy Brindley Advertising earlier this month brought the Irish agency's independence to an end in a market where self-rule is becoming increasingly rare.

Brindley, founded by Basil Brindley in 1956, is one of Ireland's oldest agencies and has a particularly strong heritage in print buying. The deal will net Brindley and his fellow shareholders EUR4 million initially, rising to EUR12 million if performance targets are met over the next three years.

So what was it about Brindley that attracted Aegis, a group that is already strong in the Irish market? In a word, its accounts. Brindley holds the Government print advertising account, one of the country's most lucrative pieces of business. It also has a number of public sector clients, generating annual billings of EUR15 million, according to the Institute of Advertising Practitioners of Ireland. These clients include the Combined Universities of Ireland, the Irish Aviation Authority, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority.

Nigel Sharrocks, the chief executive of Aegis Media UK and Ireland, explains: 'Brindley is a large press buyer in Ireland so there was an opportunity to strengthen our position with a solid business and management team.'

Brindley will become part of Aegis Media's global buying and planning division, but will keep its name. This means Aegis can now add Brindley to its Carat and Vizeum brands. Sharrocks says there is no need to bring Brindley under one of the existing businesses because it operates well as a standalone business.

Basil Brindley, who is invariably referred to by his colleagues as one of the Irish industry's 'legends', says the fact the name will remain is 'very nice' but adds it was not a stipulation of the deal. The 78-year-old ad veteran's reasons for selling were simple. 'I've been 50 years in the business and I feel it's time to smell the roses,' he says. 'My wife has been wanting me to retire.'