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Altavia boosts its performance and martech offering with a strategic acquisition in Poland
Altavia boosts its performance and martech offering with a strategic acquisition in Poland 1080 1080 Altavia

Altavia boosts its performance and martech offering with a strategic acquisition in Poland

Altavia Kamikaze, a leading creative and communication agency with a strong digital DNA, part of the international Altavia Group, has successfully completed the acquisition of two recognized agencies. This strategic amalgamation combines the competencies of Altavia Kamikaze with those of K2 Create, a pioneer in the Polish digital industry with a 26-year history; and K2 Precise, specializing in media campaigns, including performance and martech solutions. This synergy, bolstered by the reach of the Altavia Group, promises entirely new possibilities for both clients and teams. The acquisition lands among the most significant transactions on the Polish agencies market.

The decision to acquire K2 agencies is a response to the demands of marketers seeking streamlined collaboration and integrated solutions that combine tools, technology, advanced analytics and media offerings with genuine creativity and an understanding of new channels, creators, and target audiences. “K2 agencies understand this, and together, we can exponentially enhance our scale and capabilities. Changes are on the horizon – the acceleration of AI, the growth of the creator’s economy and, consequently, shifts in the labor market. We must consistently redefine ourselves, and this ability unites both organizations at a DNA level. We always see opportunities and transform changes into competitive advantages for our clients”. – said Joanna Dering, Managing Partner at Altavia Kamikaze.

Altavia Kamikaze and K2 agencies will operate under a common branding altavia.kamikaze + K2, initially as three entities. Strategically, Altavia Kamikaze aims to merge all three agencies while maintaining the strength of its two key divisions: creative and precise (media and martech). This translates to over 160 talents working for a portfolio of leading clients and further business growth, supporting client communication activities in Poland, the Central and Eastern European region, and on the international stage.

“The transaction represents a strategic investment that confirms Altavia’s interest in the Polish market. Altavia has been present in Poland for 20 years, when Altavia Polska – an agency specializing in BTL communication – was established. 6 years ago, Kamikaze Agency (today Altavia Kamikaze) joined the Group. The current acquisition increases Altavia’s potential in Poland and expands the portfolio of services we offer, in particular in the area of ​​media, performance marketing and marketing automation. By combining the competences of Altavia Polska and Altavia Kamikaze + K2, we are ready to take care of the clients of our clients at every stage of their customer journey. The scale, experience and capabilities of Altavia Kamikaze + K2 will also be used to serve international clients and other agencies within the Group”. – said Raphaël Palti, Chairman and Founder of Altavia.

Altavia Kamikaze + K2 will operate under the leadership of Joanna Dering and Michał Ryszkiewicz, the current Managing Partners of Altavia Kamikaze. Michał Rutkowski – the current K2 Create executive will continue in his role, accompanied by Zofia Mozga and Katarzyna Kosińska-Rysz from Altavia Kamikaze who will join him to start the integration process. Katarzyna Wiśniewska and Maja Biniewicz – the current executives of K2 Precise, will be responsible for this division. Bartek Załęcki and Zofia Mozga, as an integration team, will work to facilitate cooperation between all entities. Altavia Kamikaze acquires 100% of the shares of K2 Create and K2 Precise.


About Altavia

Altavia is the first independent global network dedicated to Retail Marketing Services.
Founded in 1983 by Raphaël Palti, its Chairman and CEO, the group offers Commercial Activation solutions specially adapted to the needs of the retail industry. Present in 45 countries on 4 continents, the Altavia group supports more than 500 retail brands and stores. In 2022, Altavia had 2,800 employees and a turnover of 801 million euros.

Creative Commerce & Marketing Execution at the service of customer relationships.

Altavia finds creative, technological, responsible and efficient ways to improve the quality of customer relationships on a daily basis. We are involved in the entire value chain: from consulting and creation, to execution, to deployment and installation.

The customer: the alpha and omega.

Since its creation, Altavia has defended an open and lively commerce, creating encounters, mixtures and opportunities. A radically human commerce.
Retail for Humans.
Altavia has been present in Poland since 2003, when Altavia Polska was established. Altavia Polska is a marketing services agency specializing in BTL communication. Together with its clients, it creates campaigns that build relations with consumers and effectively increase sales results.
In 2017, Altavia Group presence in Poland was reinforced through the acquisition of Kamikaze (now Altavia Kamikaze), a creative and communication agency with a strong technological DNA, joining the Group. Since then, the agency has tripled its business. Altavia Polska and Altavia Kamikaze operate autonomously but collaborate on numerous clients.

Altavia reinforces its expertise with the acquisition of the Sina Retail agency
Altavia reinforces its expertise with the acquisition of the Sina Retail agency 1080 1080 Altavia

Altavia Group reinforces its Travel Retail expertise with the acquisition of the Asian agency Sina Retail

Altavia Group, the world’s leading network dedicated to retail communication, has acquired Sina Retail. The company is thus strengthening its expertise in travel retail, as well as its presence in the Asian markets.

Sina Retail, a specialist in retail design and project management, has joined Altavia Travel Retail’s global offer. Based in China, the agency provides ephemeral marketing concepts as well as permanent implementations for luxury brands such as Dior, Guerlain, Givenchy, Benefit, Shiseido, Nars, Augustinus Bader or Rémy Cointreau. Sina Retail becomes the latest acquisition of the Altavia Group, which, through its travel retail division, offers consulting, design and implementation services to airport authorities, duty-free and F&B retailers, and brands.

With its extensive network of agencies worldwide, Altavia is expanding its portfolio in the luxury, beauty and wine and spirits sectors, while increasing its strength in the strategic and booming travel retail industry. The Group will be able to leverage Sina Retail’s in-depth knowledge of the Asian market and its years of experience in the travel retail industry.

Xavier Van Gaver, Sina Retail’s founder, commented: “We are very pleased to join Altavia, a leading international group with whom we share the same passion for retail. Our international presence will be strengthened through the Group’s global network, and Altavia’s leadership in retail consulting and services will also allow us to offer a more complete solution to our clients’ needs in China and Asia.”

Hugo Vanderschaegh, Managing Director of Altavia Travel Retail, added: “In a few years, Sina Retail has gained a solid experience in Asia and has become a trusted partner of some of the most demanding and renowned brands. Working with Xavier and his team, Altavia Travel Retail will continue to roll out its services in the region: digital services to brands, strategic retail consultancy to airport authorities and large-scale shop design for duty-free and F&B operators.”

According to Raphaël Palti, CEO and Founder of Altavia: “With Sina Retail, we share the same desire to enrich the customer journey with engaging and compelling experiences for retailers and brands. This acquisition allows us to extend our expertise in the luxury segment and to strengthen our strategic global travel retail offering in China, and more broadly in Asia.”


About Altavia

Altavia is the world’s leading independent network dedicated to Marketing Services for Retail.
Founded in 1983 by Raphaël Palti, its Chairman and CEO, the group offers Commercial Activation solutions specially adapted to the needs of the retail industry. Present in 45 countries on 4 continents, the Altavia group supports more than 500 retail brands and stores. In 2022, Altavia will have 2,800 employees and a turnover of 801 million euros.

Creative Commerce & Marketing Execution at the service of customer relationships.
Altavia finds creative, technological, responsible and efficient ways to improve the quality of customer relations on a daily basis. We are involved in the entire value chain: from consulting and creation, to execution, to deployment and installation.

The customer: the alpha and omega of business.
Since its creation, Altavia has defended an open and lively business, creating encounters, mixtures and opportunities. A radically human business.
Retail for Humans.


About Altavia Travel Retail

Altavia Travel Retail is the travel retail division of the Altavia Group, present in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. It offers consulting services and creative solutions to hub operators as well as to retailers and brands.

It provides consulting services to hub operators: retail strategy, omnichannel solutions and master planning. Its team of commercial architects designs large-scale retail, restaurant, service and leisure spaces in regional and international hubs. Retailers and brands partner with Altavia Travel Retail to design physical and digital retail concepts that are deployed globally.


About Sina Retail

Sina Retail is a multi-disciplinary creative and project management agency specializing in the luxury beauty, wine & spirits and accessories sectors. Operating in China for nearly 15 years, Sina Retail facilitates the deployment and activation of global brands in China and Asia more broadly, while helping local brands achieve their global ambitions in domestic and travel retail channels.

We’re celebrating entrepreneurs at Altavia!
We’re celebrating entrepreneurs at Altavia! 1200 1600 Altavia

We’re celebrating entrepreneurs at Altavia!

On April 18, 2023, Altavia Foundation took the initiative to host the ‘Fête les entrepreneurs’ evening at its Saint-Ouen site. It was a remarkable event dedicated to entrepreneurs, local influencers, and everyone who plays a role, big or small, in the success of each project born in the vibrant 93 area.

The evening was packed with valuable insights from experienced entrepreneurs, exciting new projects shaping the future of the 93 region, and, above all, the opportunity to meet visionary and passionate business owners. It was a real networking celebration, which fostered meaningful connections and a spirit of collaboration, all while enjoying dishes and drinks crafted entirely by our very own 93-based entrepreneurs!

Altavia welcomes For Talents in its capital
Altavia welcomes For Talents in its capital 1080 1080 Altavia

Altavia welcomes For Talents in its capital to support its development and transmission.

For Talents, a family capital investment company dedicated to the successful transfer of family-owned businesses between two generations, is taking a minority stake in the capital of Altavia Group, the world’s leading network dedicated to marketing services for the retailers.
For Talents takes over from BNP Paribas Développement and Andera Midcap in the group’s capital and thus becomes the reference minority shareholder of the family-owned group.
For Talents will accompany the handover process between Raphaël Palti, Founder, and one of his sons, Sydney Palti, Managing Director.
The evolution of the group’s governance is scheduled to start in May 2024, when Sydney Palti will become Chief Executive Officer and Raphaël Palti will become non-executive Chairman of the group.

Raphaël Palti, Founder of Altavia, said: “It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome Matthieu Leclercq and the For Talents team to Altavia. From the very beginning of our discussions, they have demonstrated their ability to understand Altavia’s ambitions and challenges, while also understanding the family dynamics that have led to the validation of our intergenerational transmission approach. I would like to thank BNP Paribas Développement and Andera Midcap for their long-term support, which is always benevolent and geared towards sustainable and long-term growth.
I have full confidence in Sydney, who will bring his energy to adapt the group to the constant changes in our clients’ needs and, with Altavia’s teams, continue its global development”.

“As the group celebrates its 40th anniversary, Altavia is entering a new growth cycle. To achieve our ambitious objectives, our three main levers are the acceleration of the transformation plan, the pursuit of a sustained international organic development and a resolutely proactive external growth strategy,” said Sydney Palti.

“We are proud to support Altavia, a French, family-owned, agile and innovative ETI, which is giving itself the means to transform itself in order to remain a leader in its market. Its global presence makes it a major partner for its clients, supporting their development. Our mission will be to accompany the transition from Raphaël to Sydney, so that it creates value for the Altavia group and its teams” explains Blandine Pessin-Bazil, Partner in charge of the transmission activity of For Talents.

The approach of the team For Talents is based on an observation: the rate of intergenerational transmission of family businesses is low.
Family-owned companies are an undeniable economic engine in France. Among the total number of transfers of small and medium-sized companies, only 10% are family transfers (source: KPMG-METI study November 2021).

The ambition of For Talents is to increase the success of family business transfers between two generations, in order to perpetuate them. For Talents has developed a unique approach based on a double protocol: an investment protocol and a protocol to accompany the transmission between a family manager and his successor, which also takes into account the need to maintain the unity of family shareholders.

Altavia Group’s advice :

  • M&A advisor: Capstone Finance (Thaddée Willart, Alexandre Delbos)
  • Legal counsel: Cohen Amir-Aslani (Gérard Cohen, Kévin Flochlay), Cards Avocats (Jean-François Carré)

Advice from For Talents :

  • Legal counsel: Jones Day (David Swinburne, Kevin Bousset)
  • Legal and tax due diligence: Jones Day (legal: David Swinburne, Kevin Bousset; tax: Emmanuel de la Rochethulon, Théo Piazza)
  • Financial due diligence: KPMG Transaction Services (Guilhem Maguin, Rémi Varennes, Donia Cressey)
  • Strategic due diligence: Advention Business Partners (Jean-Michel Schmitt, Iska Pivois)


About For Talents

Created in 2021 by Matthieu Leclercq, former Chairman of Decathlon and founder of O’Tera, For Talents is a family-owned investment company dedicated to the successful transition of family-owned companies from one generation to another.

For Talents positions itself as a partner-shareholder and makes minority investments that allow families to retain control of their company, while supporting them in this pivotal moment of transmission. The approach is tailor-made, based on a close relationship with the manager, his family ecosystem and the company’s governance system.

For Talents has already invested in major family businesses in their sector such as Paprec Group, Groupe Petit Forestier and Riou Glass.

For more information : www.fortalents.com


About Altavia

Altavia is the world’s leading independent network dedicated to marketing services for the retail industry.
Founded in 1983 by Raphaël Palti, its Chairman and CEO, the group offers Commercial Activation solutions specially adapted to the needs of the retail industry. Present in 45 countries on 4 continents, the Altavia group supports more than 500 retail brands and chains. In 2022, Altavia will have 2,800 employees and a turnover of 801 million euros.

Creative Commerce & Marketing Execution at the service of the customer relationship.
Altavia finds creative, technological, responsible and efficient ways to serve the quality of the customer relationship on a daily basis. We intervene on the entire value chain: from consulting and creation, to execution, to deployment and installation.

The customer: the alpha and omega of commerce.
Since its creation, Altavia has defended an open and lively business, a creator of encounters, mixes and opportunities. A radically human business.
Retail for Humans.

Altavia Blue Lions Integrates the master group agencies
Altavia Blue Lions Integrates the master group agencies 1920 1280 Altavia

Altavia Blue Lions, the pan-African digital communication agency of the Altavia Group, specialising in commercial communication for retailers, announces the acquisition of the Master Group agencies. The integration of this network of six historical communication agencies in the region positions Altavia Blue Lions among the leaders in Africa and the Indian Ocean.

Since its launch in 2013, Altavia Blue Lions has been the agency of reference for international and national brands looking to develop campaigns in African markets, such as L’Oréal, Michelin and Seb. The agency has gradually expanded its presence on the continent and opened offices in Abidjan, Casablanca, Accra, Johannesburg, Nairobi, and Dubai.
The merger with the Master Group agencies allows Altavia Blue Lions to expand into new markets while creating synergies, both geographically and in terms of businesses and clients.
With 81 employees and nearly 100 clients, the six Master Group branches are historically located in four territories: Réunion (Court-Circuit, Facto), Madagascar (Facto, Unit Média), Mauritius (Klak) and Martinique (Facto). Regularly rewarded for their ability to design innovative campaigns, these agencies have developed true 360° communication expertise.
By joining Altavia Blue Lions, the Master Group agencies gain access to the vast network of agencies in the Altavia Group, the leading commercial communication group dedicated to Retail Marketing Services and present in 45 countries on 4 continents. For Altavia, this merger between Altavia Blue Lions and Master Group is part of the group’s geographic and service expansion plan.
Raphaël Palti, Founder and CEO of Altavia, gave the following statement “Altavia Blue Lions and Master Group are influential and recognised agencies. I congratulate them on this operation, which is a real accelerator for their growth.”
While Adrien Cusinberche, CEO of Altavia Blue Lions, said “Thanks to this merger, we’ve now become a unique platform for advertisers who wish to deploy campaigns in the area. We are convinced that to succeed in these markets, it is imperative to have in-depth of them – something that can only be acquired through experience.”
For François Mandroux, Managing Director of Master Group, “The agencies have hailed this merger with three words: enthusiasm, excitement and pride! There are strong synergies for the commercial development of our clients in Africa and overseas.”
This presence in nine countries – unprecedented in the sector – now establishes Altavia Blue Lions as a true strategic bridge between these regions.
As a result of this operation, the scope of Altavia Blue Lions has doubled in size. In total, the agency’s network now has 120 employees in nine countries, with a cumulative turnover of 19 million euros in 2021.


About Altavia Blue Lions

Created in 2013, Altavia Blue Lions is a digital communications agency with offices in Africa (Ivory Coast, Morocco, South Africa and Kenya), Dubai, France, the Indian Ocean (Reunion, Mauritius, Madagascar) and the French West Indies. Altavia Blue Lions has been part of the Altavia Group since 2018.
www.bluelions.com

Altavia travel retail dubai london shanghai

Altavia launches Altavia Travel Retail as an answer to the channel’s needs for transformation.
Altavia launches Altavia Travel Retail as an answer to the channel’s needs for transformation. 1140 760 Altavia

Present times are challenging the travel industry and more than ever, hub operators, retailers and brands need to make informed decisions and innovate to optimize their investments.

By bringing different perspectives to the industry, Altavia Travel Retail aims to solve collective problems throughout the online and physical travelers’ journey.
Creativity, business intelligence and the ability to craft outstanding yet relevant customer experiences are powerful leverages. That’s why we believe it’s the right time to launch our offer and help clients reconnect with travelers and attain desired revenue targets whilst meeting sustainability manifestos.


Altavia Travel retail

The Altavia group, present in 45 countries with more than 2 500 employees, supports retailers and brands building fruitful relationships with their customers since 1983.
Today, with Altavia Travel Retail, our travel retail experts come together under one brand to service the industry with a broad range of services including; commercial strategy and concessions’ master planning, store design, temporary and permanent POSM, On and Off line activations, branding, digital and social media activations, global POSM production management.
“For years now, e-commerce, sustainability, multi-channel retail and shifts in consumer behaviors disrupt traditional retail and our teams have been supporting retailers and brands in their transformation with bespoke solutions at every stage of the value chain. With the unique positioning of Altavia Travel Retail, we now aim to support the transformation of the travel retail channel.” Raphaël Palti, CEO and Founder of Altavia.
In this move to consolidate its expertise dedicated to the travel retail channel, several agencies of the Altavia group are joining forces; HRG, ODG and Creative Capital.
“For over 10 years now we have been partnering with global brands to deliver strategy, creative and implementation across permanent, promotional and category projects. Our strong understanding of the channel, the changing landscape and shopper missions allows us to create and deliver platforms both physically and digitally that draw in the traveler and create engagement which in turn drives sales and brand awareness.
Our new offering as Altavia Travel Retail, will now more than ever, allow us to not only continue to build on the support we can offer to brands but also enable us to forge stronger relationships between them and the retailers through our enhanced understanding of their joined-up objectives.” Lucy Tugwell Europe Business manager for Altavia Travel Retail.
With a diverse team coming from 12 different nationalities based in London, Dubai, Shanghai, Hong Kong and soon Singapore, we believe in a localized approach to better address the specific requirements of our clients and their targets. Shoppers are more and more demanding, looking for personalization, unique products and experiences to suit their specific needs. The ability to understand and profile the travelers as well as the regional and cultural context is an essential part of our approach.
“For instance, our experience of working with local brands in China for years has helped us to build a deep knowledge of the Chinese consumers who account for a large number of today’s global travelers and shoppers” Jing Legrand & Louis Houdart Business Managing Directors of Altavia China.
Sustainability is an important cornerstone of our value proposition and we have developed specific solutions in eco-design and production with several ongoing pilot stores. Recently, Altavia Travel Retail developed the design and sustainable strategy for high-profile duty-free stores in Asia and Scandinavia and we anticipate ambitious sustainable objectives to become the norm of the industry. “Thanks to our experience with all the key stakeholders of the industry; GTR brands, retailers, food service companies and hub operators, we have a comprehensive view of the travel retail ecosystem. Today, with Altavia Travel Retail, our clients will benefit from our global presence and a true online / offline expertise to better craft every touch point of the traveler’s journey.” Hugo Vanderschaegh Head of ALTAVIA Travel Retail.

LAETITIA GAZEL ANTHOINE Altavia Adventures portrait

Meet Laetitia Gazel Anthoine, Managing Director of Altavia Adventures
Meet Laetitia Gazel Anthoine, Managing Director of Altavia Adventures 1000 533 Altavia

In January 2022, Laetitia Gazel Anthoine celebrated her first year with the Altavia Group. It’s been an exciting year at the head of Altavia Coach – now Altavia Adventures –, where this CentraleSupélec engineering school graduate remapped its scope and mission, alongside Sarah Gaïsset, Delphine Smadja and Thomas Sillé.

As the fifth of six children, Laetitia Gazel Anthoine wanted to carve out her own path very early on, and always liked to decide how her life would turn out. After several years spent at the mobile operator Orange, at the beginning of the mobile Internet, in 2007, Laetitia Gazel Anthoine created Connecthings Paris. In 2015,she moved to New York with her husband and four children to develop the North American market. The company, renamed HEROW in 2018, is a Location Intelligence SaaS platform for mobile applications leveraging location data and AI. The company raised €17 million from European VCs and was acquired by Xerys in March 2020.


An opportunity not to be missed

In 2020, Laetitia joins the Altavia group after selling her company to an investment fund.“Raphael Palti asked me to take over the management of Altavia Coach. This time, I had to be on the investors’ side… and I really liked this challenge! ”


“Scouting” startups close to Altavia’s core business and supporting them

Laetitia Gazel Anthoine took up her new position on 4 January 2021 and Altavia Coach became Altavia Adventures in March 2021. A fresh dynamism gradually brought the renamed entity to life.
The team, rounded out by Sarah Gaïsset, Delphine Smadja and Thomas Sillé, was tasked with detecting startups with high growth potential, in Altavia’s fields of expertise. This means creating new business models or technologies for publishing, marketing, retail, communication, point of sale and packaging… with the common goal of creating more sustainable solutions for these industries, and identifying startups and then investing in them (always in a minority), by providing our expertise. It’s this highly specialised approach that makes the difference. “It can also happen that a startup attracts our attention, but is already too mature or isn’t looking for investors yet. In that case, we welcome it into Altavia’s Startup Community, whose dynamism is an interesting source of inspiration for our BUs”.
It’s the financial investment, but also the synergies that the Group will have created between the startups and its customers, that will contribute to the development of the companies identified. When the time comes, Altavia Adventures will sell its shares, hoping to have provided the Group with sources of inspiration for future innovations or partnerships and to have contributed to enriching its image with clients.


Participating in the transformation of the Altavia Group

In addition to accompanying and supporting startups, Altavia Adventures’ mission is closely linked to the Group’s transformation in a rapidly changing world. “We have an important and exciting role to play in Altavia’s transformation, by accompanying and confronting it, for example, with the emergence of new and inspiring business models, such as subscription or marketplace business models”.

Altavia azur digital dubai

Altavia communications group announces the creation of a joint venture with Azur Digital, a consulting firm based in Dubai.
Altavia communications group announces the creation of a joint venture with Azur Digital, a consulting firm based in Dubai. 977 650 Altavia

Paris, June 24, 2021 – Altavia, the leading Retail Marketing Service group, has created a joint venture with Azur Digital, a consulting firm specializing in omnichannel transformation for retailers and brands, thereby strengthening its presence in the Africa & Middle East region.

Founded in 2013 by Stéphane Paraiso, Azur Digital is a pioneering e-commerce and digital marketing consultancy and omnichannel customer experience specialist. Based in the Africa & Middle East region, Azur Digital designs and implements tailor-made strategies, linking physical and digital channels to boost sales and optimise customer lifetime value. Azur Digital’s teams provide end-to-end support for all aspects of their clients’ digital transformation: e-commerce, digital marketing, loyalty, CRM and data-driven marketing.
The firm advises and supports leading retailers, shopping centre operators and conglomerates such as Carrefour, Sephora, Virgin Megastore, LVMH, Emaar, Fawaz Alhokair Group, ABC and IBL.
By joining forces with the Altavia Group, the leading Retail Marketing Service group present in 45 countries and established in Dubai since 2015, Azur Digital will be able to draw on the skills of the group’s network of agencies (including design, web & app development, content production, digital marketing and campaign management…), access new markets and accelerate its growth.
For its part, the Altavia group, which holds a majority stake in this joint venture, is expanding its digital and omnichannel consulting expertise in the Africa & Middle East region.
Altavia and Azur Digital share the same values of trust, humanity and commitment, serving the quality of customer relations of leading brands and retailers and their performance. Through this joint venture, Altavia and Azur Digital aim to create the reference one-stop-shop for the entire Africa & Middle East region.
According to Raphaël Palti, President and Founder of Altavia, “With Azur Digital, we are strengthening our strategic consulting capabilities and offering end-to-end support for the omnichannel transformation of retailers and brands. Together we will accelerate the digital transformation of our retail clients in order to help them develop ever more fruitful relationships with their customers and thus improve their performance.”
Stéphane Paraiso, Managing Director of Azur Digital said: “Joining the Altavia group at this pivotal time when digital transformation has never been more crucial is a great and exciting development for Azur Digital. Altavia’s wide range of offerings, its vast client portfolio and its presence in 45 markets, offer us a fantastic opportunity to grow and serve our clients in a more holistic way. Together, we can create a truly global omnichannel consultancy, capable of addressing all the digital needs of retailers and brands across a wide geographical and service spectrum.”
Martin Mirmand, Managing Director of Altavia Middle East adds: “By joining forces with Azur Digital, the Altavia Group in the Middle East is gaining a strategic range of digital consulting and services that are more relevant than ever to our clients. By adding Azur Digital’s talent, methodology and clients, we can now offer a truly unique and holistic range of consulting, design and project management services dedicated to brands and retailers across all touch points of the customer journey, both on and off line.”



About Azur Digital

Azur Digital is the pioneer consultancy specialising in consumer business digital transformation and omnichannel customer experience in the Middle East and Africa. Azur Digital helps brands introduce new customer propositions seamlessly blending digital and physical channels to increase sales and customer engagement.
The Consultancy provides expertise in e-commerce, digital marketing, loyalty, CRM and data-driven marketing. From strategy development to solution design, delivery management and advisory across technology, operations and organisation, Azur Digital’s consultants guide and accompany clients’ transformation projects end-to-end.
With more than 100 projects executed since 2013, Azur Digital has a unique track record of successfully digitising renowned market leaders in record time. The firm advises some of the largest retail groups in the Gulf, Levant and Indian Ocean.

Altavia japan ecovadis gold

Altavia Japan receives EcoVadis Gold 2020 rating for sustainability
Altavia Japan receives EcoVadis Gold 2020 rating for sustainability 977 675 Altavia

Altavia Japan recently received “Gold” rating in the 2020 Sustainability Assessments issued by the French company EcoVadis. Why did you choose to be evaluated by EcoVadis ?

EcoVadis is a world-renowned corporate sustainability rating agency. Although not yet as well known in Japan as it is in Europe, more and more companies in Japan are getting certified, especially those with overseas operations.
The Altavia Group joined the Global Compact and has been an advanced level member since 2018 and is a leader in the advertising agency industry in terms of CSR. The Altavia headquarters have obtained EcoVadis Gold certification. CSR is at the core of our growth strategy. The Altavia Group is therefore very active when it comes to establishing and implementing action plans, as it encourages branches and affiliates in all countries to obtain EcoVadis certification, regardless of the size of the branch, which is why we have to undergo the assessment in Japan as well.


It seems that the company received particularly high marks for “environment”.

Yes. The company’s serious commitment to CSR was one of the main reasons I joined the Altavia Group, so when I took over at its head back in 2016, I completely overhauled the marketing services Altavia offers.
Of course, expertise, price, and quality of service are important, but should we be using methods with a high environmental impact, no matter how good the service? That’s the question.
If we can reduce our environmental impact while maintaining service quality, it will add value to Altavia Japan and contribute to the CSR targets of our customers’ corporate activities.
More specifically, by incorporating the latest technology into the production process, Altavia Japan has achieved a production process that significantly reduces environmental impact and waste while providing high-quality services. We challenge the existing values and practices of the production floor and offer sustainable solutions.


Do you think the EcoVadis certification will have a positive impact ?

First of all, I think it is very positive that we can share the values of focusing on CSR with our employees. It is important for each employee to have an awareness of the issues on a global level and to always take action for improvement and to act based on the high ethical standards as a member of the Altavia Group.
It is also important for business, as more and more global companies look to EcoVadis for ratings when selecting suppliers. I hope that more and more companies in Japan will be able to learn more about the value of global sustainability assessments.


What are your ambitions for the future ?

We will continue to focus on our CSR initiatives and do our utmost to be a company that contributes to the sustainable development of society and is trusted by our customers.

An interview with Alex Tréma
An interview with Alex Tréma 1200 1138 Altavia

Whilst Alexandre Guénon may be well known at Altavia Paris as DM Purchasing Manager, he is perhaps a little less well known by his artist name, Alex Tréma – an urban stencil artist who has made quite a name for himself on the street art scene over the past 7 years. We had a chat with this generous globe-trotter who gives his art away on the streets to anyone who cares to look past the ends of their noses.

How did you get into urban stencil art?

“Art Is Me / Dali”, big size artwork by Alex Tréma

I’ve always done some kind of art, alongside my work, from designing and even, in some cases, producing furniture right through to painting. I’ve always had a bit of a thing for urban art, and I discovered the pochoir technique seven years ago.

 

Every other year I take my son abroad for his birthday to explore a new city. For his14th birthday we went to Berlin. I had booked a street art tour and the first stop was at a pochoir workshop, which I really enjoyed.

 

Around the same time, I had also treated myself to a piece by Lille-based artist Mimi The Clown for my 40th. We got to know one another and kept in touch, so when I told him about my encounter with urban stencil art he asked “why don’t you give it a go?”.  I immediately brushed the idea off, convinced that I wouldn’t get anywhere with it. “What’s the worst that can happen?”, he asked. “If it goes wrong, you cover it over and you start again”. His words really struck a chord with me and gave me the freedom I needed.

 

 

What do you like so much about this art?

It’s quite an accessible technique: you can choose to create a text or face using just one colour and even that will have an interesting effect. Then, of course, there is the fact that you only get to see the end result when it’s too late, once all the stencils have been cut out and painted, and I really like that element too.

 

 

So on your return from Berlin, and on the advice of Mimi The Clown, you decided to focus your efforts on urban pochoir, or stencil art…

When my son was at secondary school I used to drop him off on a Saturday morning and go off and apply my stencils around the local area. That was it – I had the bug, and I was starting to get recognised a bit in the area. Eight months later, in May 2013, I launched the Take Me project in New York, which added a new dimension to the idea of simply painting and sticking things around the streets.

 

 

Tell us about the concept behind the Take Me project

Picture of Alex Tréma’s New-York “Take Me” project

I start by creating an original 24x32cm painting using a stencil. I make 24 versions of it using the same stencil but with a different background colour. I put each one in a tracing paper envelope with ‘Take Me’ written on it, and I tape each one to a wall, public bench, lamppost etc. out in the street so that anyone passing by can find them and keep one as a memento. All I ask in return, if they want, is that they send me a photo of the piece they’ve found in the setting of their choice.

 

I launched Take Me in New York, thinking it would be a unique experiment. Over the course of 9 days, I would leave pieces here and there as I travelled around the city. On the first day I got an email from a young woman who was a fan of urban art and was thrilled to have found one of my pieces. By the time I left, I had received feedback on 8 of the 24 pieces I had dotted around. Once I got back to Paris I was really keen to repeat the experiment.

 

 

And you have continued to travel with your art ever since

I’ve given away some 800 pieces out on the streets since May 2013 and have received 180 emails in return. I’ve visited 25 cities in 13 countries on 3 continents. I actually got news about one piece 4 years after the Barcelona edition, not to mention one piece that was found in Paris and taken back and photographed in Melbourne, Australia. Some of the pieces get destroyed by the weather, whilst people might just take a dislike to others and throw them away, but that’s all part of the project.

 

The last place the Take Me project took me to was La Rochelle, where I travelled 36km in two and a half days!

 

 

And there have even been two collective versions – Take Us

I actually decided to invite a number of renowned artists who I really admire, such as Speedy Graphito, who produced a piece valued at €1,500, to get on board with me to mark the project’s 1st and 5th anniversaries. I also got in touch with the great, now-92-year-old artist Jacques Villeglé, the man behind the Affichiste poster movement, and he donated 22 pieces to the 5-year anniversary project. CharlElie Couture also got involved, joining the other big-name artists who appreciated the very simple nature of the project and its ability to reach out to people.

 

 

Which is the next city you’ll be targeting with your creations?

I’m heading to Madrid in the autumn! As well as the Take Me project, I am also president of the PARTcours urban art association, which I founded with Raf Urban and hRLck in June 2018. Together with 25 other artists we took over a gym last December and our work was seen by some 3,700 art-lovers during the 22 hours it was open. Our next project, in October 2019, will see us working at a primary school in Joinville-le-Pont. Maybe we’ll see you there?

 

 

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