How it started: RCA and HeadOffice join forces, connected by Glowi

Glowi, the largest private employer in Flanders, continues its growth strategy by acquiring majority stakes in RCA and HeadOffice, two leading players in branding, marketing, and communication. These partnerships mark a new step in Glowi’s plans to further diversify its services. The two companies will join a new marketing and communication group that now employs over 100 marcom professionals, serving an extensive client portfolio in B2C, B2B, and public sector communication, with well-known names such as Fluvius, Bank Nagelmackers, the Federal and Flemish Governments, Samsung, Lapperre, and Brewery Haacht. Tom Van den Bergh, CEO of RCA, will lead the new marcom division.

Glowi has been following a growth path for years where it resolutely chooses to participate in strong companies in different sectors, says co-CEO Jo Mellemans. "With this acquisition, we are opening the door to the marketing and communications sector. We have been working with RCA for seven years and, in addition, as an external director, I had already been closely involved with the company for three years. So this feels like a very logical, natural step. I am convinced that RCA is the ideal platform to build a new multidisciplinary marketing and communications group. HeadOffice is a first very complementary addition. The fact that the management of both RCA and HeadOffice are committed shows the confidence they have along their side in Glowi's strategy and vision."

RCA and HeadOffice together form a marcom umbrella that Tom Van den Bergh will manage. Both agencies keep their identity, autonomy and management, but will consciously look for synergy and complementarity with each other and the Glowi group with a view to further growth in Belgium and the Netherlands. This ambition will be reinforced by the entry of the current RCA shareholders(Bruno Leyssens, Wim Claesen, Sandra Vandoren, Bart Klerckx, Jente Joris and Tom Van den Bergh) as well as the key players of HeadOffice(Evi Malcorps and Stijn Jacquemyn) in the capital of Glowi.

RCA brings more than 45 years of experience and over 75 brand, marketing and communications experts. In addition, its strong expertise in employer marketing allows Glowi to further expand its position in the HR market. HeadOffice then brings another 40-plus targeted communications experts to the table with a strong background in content marketing.

Tom Van den Bergh, CEO of RCA and of the new marcom group, emphasizes, "To remain relevant, our sector must continuously adapt and respond to the challenges posed by new technologies, sustainability or social and cultural shifts. In this we organize ourselves as an agency around experts and expertises in brands, marketing and communications. With a digital common thread. The partnership with Glowi Group allows us to tell that story faster and more innovatively. At HeadOffice, we find a solid set of complementary services, great people and ditto mindset. Where the industry often consolidates on scale, we opt for in-depth services and a shared vision of talent-driven entrepreneurship. We are confident that this is how we will achieve the most growth for our customers, the group and our own employees."

Evi Malcorps, CEO of HeadOffice, says: "The down-to-earth mentality is the main common denominator that we already felt in our first conversations. Added to that, integrated and goal-oriented thinking for our clients is paramount for the two agencies. We are two agencies, each with its own focus and expertise, and we are looking forward to working in a complementary way as from tomorrow. Stijn and I are convinced that this is the right step for HeadOffice, but certainly also for our HO'fficers."