Bond Brand Loyalty acquires Armadillo CRM

I'm delighted to share that Armadillo CRM has been acquired by Bond Brand Loyalty — a moment that caps off an incredible ten-year journey for me and the team.

Armadillo engaged with 3D FD back in August 2015, and I joined as a consultant to help steer the finances of what was already a well-regarded CRM agency, but also needed to professionalise and improve some of its financial controls, management and decision making. Over the next couple of years, I got to know the business inside and out — the people, the clients, the potential. Alongside James Ray and Chris Thurling, we identified the opportuity to purchase the business from its Founders in September 2017. I led on the negotiation of the MBO and then joined the Board as part-time CFO, and the three of us set about building something bigger.

We had ambitious plans; we relocated the business from Bath to Bristol, introduced proper leadership and management tiers, and invested in the team and our capabilities. We saw significant growth from existing clients and new business wins too. Armadillo profitably grew from just over 22 staff to over 80 at its peak. Alongside the growth in size, came improvement in capability and expertise, and industry recognition through numerous DMA award wins.

When Toronto based Bond approached us, they said they'd been searching globally for a best-in-class CRM business, and they'd identified Armadillo. After meeting with the senior leaders at Bond, we were confident this was the right move. The acquisition would be good for both businesses, good for their clients, and importantly, good for the people who'd worked so hard to build Armadillo into what it had become.

It's been a privilege to play a part in Armadillo's story, and I'm excited to see what the team achieves as part of the Bond family.