Hotwire Acquires McDonald Butler Associates, Strengthening Position as Leading Tech Communications Consultancy

(L-R): Tara O’Donnell, Managing Director of Hotwire UK, Mike Butler, Managing Director of McDonald Butler Associates (MBA) and Maeve McDonald, CEO of MBA. (Photo: Business Wire)

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Hotwire, recognised as the pre-eminent global tech communications consultancy, has acquired McDonald Butler Associates (MBA), a strategic B2B sales and marketing agency specializing in the $5.2 trillion technology industry.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210427005480/en/

Together, Hotwire’s award-winning communications expertise and MBA’s specific sales and marketing expertise will support CMOs with both near-term sales results and long-term brand building. Synergies between the two firms include a strong tech customer base and a heavy investment in insights, strategy, and creative teams to drive integrated communications programmes. The companies also share a number of clients including Adobe, Citrix, and Dell Technologies.

“Tech CMOs are under pressure to deliver immediate results today and continue building the brand for the future,” said Barbara Bates, Hotwire Global CEO. “By adding MBA’s extensive account-based marketing and channel marketing experience, Hotwire will deliver a new level of communications programmes designed to build brand reputation, strengthen stakeholder relationships and deliver revenue growth.”

This investment gives Hotwire clients access to new skills and services including account-based marketing, industry marketing and channel and alliances programmes. For MBA’s clients, they’ll now have access to a global network, offering an even wider set of communications disciplines including brand development, media relations, corporate communications and deeper expertise in content and social media marketing. Tune into the latest episode of The Hotwire podcast, HotTakes to hear more about the opportunities ahead.

Incorporated in the U.K. in 2005, McDonald Butler supports a strong client roster of technology clients including Accenture, Adobe, AWS, Citrix, Dell Technologies, Deloitte, DXC Technology, Honeywell, IBM, Pegasystems, and PWC.

"This is an extremely exciting opportunity for both MBA’s clients and our team,” said Maeve McDonald, MBA CEO. “Both MBA and Hotwire have been dedicated to helping technology companies solve their most pressing business and communications challenges. Now we have a great opportunity to offer a wider range of communications, lead generation, and digital marketing services to our clients globally.”

Maeve McDonald and Mike Butler, founders of MBA, will take on UK roles of Managing Consultant Account Based Marketing and Marketing respectively, reporting to Tara O’Donnell, UK MD and Global Leadership Team member. Together, the combined team brings Hotwire’s UK headcount to more than 100 and more than 300 globally.

This announcement builds off Hotwire’s continued industry leadership, most recently being named the 2020 Global Technology Agency of the Year by PRovoke Media and its legacy of over 20 years of fuelling positive action for tech companies of all sizes. The investment for the acquisition came from Hotwire’s parent company, Enero Group Limited (ASX: EGG), a boutique network of marketing and communications businesses.

“The acquisition of MBA reflects not only the Group’s strong momentum and ambition but our commitment to deliver on our global strategy of building scale and additional digital capabilities of our core agency brands," said Brent Scrimshaw, Enero Group CEO. “Hotwire is already one of the world’s most highly-regarded tech specialist communication businesses and we have no doubt that adding MBA’s specific sales and marketing expertise and complimentary client roster, will unlock new possibilities of growth.”