Upcoming takeover of Engine U.K. by Communications, as announced next
The U.K. sector of Engine Group, a leading marketing services company, is on the verge of a significant change. According to reports, communications group Next15 is poised to acquire the U.K. business, with the deal expected to be confirmed before the end of February 2026.
The U.K. sector, which was carved out in 2022 and rebranded as Transform, has been performing well. Backed by private equity investor Next15, Transform boasts a team of about 250 consultants in London and Manchester and aims to be one of the UK's leading consultancy firms. In fact, Transform was recently named one of the top consulting firms in the UK for 2025[1].
However, the future of Engine Group's U.S. and Asia-Pacific (APAC) sectors remains uncertain. As of late July 2025, there is no publicly available information suggesting that these parts have been sold or are under active sale negotiations. Next 15 itself has operations and acquisitions in Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific, but no specific updates about acquiring Engine Group’s U.S. or APAC divisions have been found[2].
Lake Capital, the owners of Engine Group, appointed bank Lazards to find a buyer. Initially, it was preferable for the whole business to be bought as one, but the British part will be sold separately. The sale has been ongoing for several months, as previously reported.
The acquisition of the U.K. sector by Next15 marks a significant step for both companies. If the U.S. and APAC sections are sold separately, their future remains uncertain. The ongoing discussions about the U.S. side and the possible sale of the APAC section have not been publicly disclosed or reported as of now.
[1] Source: [Link to the source] [2] Source: [Link to the source]
The acquisition of the U.K. sector by Next15, a company with operations in Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific, signifies a potential expansion of their finance-backed business interests and industry presence in the region. The future of Engine Group's U.S. and Asia-Pacific sectors, however, remains undecided, as the sale negotiations for these divisions continue in private, hinting at possible changes in the capital structure and business operations of the affected regions.
