Hakuhodo makes acquisitions in the US and Philippines

Kyu, Hakuhodo DY Holdings’ investment arm, has acquired Kepler Group, a digital marketing agency based in New York.

Kepler was established in 2012 and also operates in San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia, with a team of around 170. It positions itself as a one-stop solution provider, offering strategy, media buying and big data services.

Separately, Hakuhodo has established a presence in the Philippines with the acquisition of IdeasXMachina (IXM), an independent creative agency.

In a statement, Hakuhodo described IXM as “a young, up-and-comer [sic] creative engineering company with strengths in both above-the-line and cyber”. It was founded by Clemente 'Third' Domingo, which Campaign featured among its 2016 40 under 40.

Hakuhodo said it expects the Philippines to maintain an economic growth rate of between 6% and 7%. It will aim to serve both Japanese and local clients in the market.

Read our assessment of Hakuhodo’s regional performance in 2017 here.