WPP has purchased The Goat Company, a 150-strong influencer operator. Goat will be part of GroupM, WPP’s media company group and merge with its influencer marketer INCA to create what it calls the “first actually international influencer advertising and marketing company” which may have round 300 workers.

The merged entity might be generally known as Goat. The company was based by Arron Shepherd, Nick Cooke and Harry Hugo in 2015. Shoppers have included Dell, Beiersdorf, Meta, Tesco, Uber, EA, Natura and Augustinus Bader.

Co-founder Shepherd says: “We couldn’t be happier to be becoming a member of WPP and GroupM to convey our main international influencer advertising and marketing and digital options to a few of the finest manufacturers on the earth. We’re delighted to mix forces with the wonderful expertise at INCA to ship even higher worth for our purchasers all around the world.”

WPP CEO Mark Learn says: “Influencer advertising and marketing is a key progress precedence for the business and for WPP. Our purchasers are more and more planning budgets at a world scale and require companions which have the worldwide attain to assist ship, while driving engagement and influence at a neighborhood stage.

“Goat’s confirmed monitor document within the influencer advertising and marketing house paired with GroupM’s document of excellence will proceed to construct on our unparalleled experience on this space.”