Morgan Stanley Global Private Equity has completed a majority investment in Creative Circle, one of North America’s largest professional staffing firms specialising in advertising, creative and marketing talent.
Morgan Stanley Global Private Equity partnered with the current management team who will remain in place and retain a considerable equity stake.
Creative Circle is a specialised staffing agency representing advertising, creative, marketing, visual communication and digital/interactive professionals on both a freelance and full-time basis. The company delivers talent solutions to top advertising agencies and marketing firms as well as to the marketing and communications departments of industry-leading companies. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Creative Circle operates in 12 states through 14 offices nationwide.
Aaron Sack (pictured), managing director of Morgan Stanley Global Private Equity, says: “Creative Circle is the premier creative staffing agency in North America. The rapid expansion of interactive and digital media has created a tremendous demand for highly qualified creative talent as well as a unique opportunity for Creative Circle to build on its strong record of business growth.”
Lawrence Serf, chief executive officer of Creative Circle, says: “At Creative Circle, we provide our clients with the highest quality solutions to staffing challenges and we offer professionals unparalleled employment opportunities in their chosen field. We are excited to partner with Morgan Stanley Global Private Equity and to leverage their expertise and know-how as we achieve new levels of business success.”
This transaction represents the 12th investment for Morgan Stanley Capital Partners V, the most recent fund raised by Morgan Stanley Global Private Equity, and the fourth in the business services sector, joining Access Cash, an independent service provider that manages the largest network of ATMs in Canada, EmployBridge, a provider of light commercial temporary staffing services in the US, and Zenith, a specialist provider of fleet solutions to corporations in the UK.
