Alice | 19 Jul 2024
It is with great excitement we can announce that Ascendancy has appointed a new Managing Director in Chris Morledge. Chris has over 20 years experience in Digital Marketing and Software Development and also runs a similar Digital Marketing Agency Copper Bay Digital with his wife Christina.
Expect to hear more from Chris and Christina soon!
See the press release below for full details…
Official Press Release:
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A new owner has taken over a leading Shropshire marketing agency allowing the
founder to ‘retire’.
Digital marketing and web design agency, Ascendancy, based in Newport, has been
sold to husband and wife team Chris and Christina Morledge.
Helen Culshaw, who launched her award winning business in 2004 after moving to
Shropshire from the South East, currently remains with the team as part of the
transition period and is already enjoying seeing her team take the lead.
Helen hopes to enjoy a slower pace of life with her husband Paul but won’t be far
away as the Ascendancy office and team will remain where it is – next to her own
house in Newport!
Chris and Christina, who live in Nottingham, acquired Ascendancy following the
successful acquisition of another agency, Copper Bay Digital based in Swansea in
2020.
Helen, who has been a familiar face at networking events across the region and has
designed and developed websites for businesses all over the UK, said: “Anyone who
knows me will know this has been a huge decision for me but the time was right, and
most importantly, the right person wanted to buy the agency.
“Chris was very clear from the outset that the business would remain in Newport and
the team would remain and it would be business as usual – all of these elements
were so important for me – especially as my family members are employed!
“Chris is eager to empower the team to grow as people and to grow the business.
His team at Copper Bay means there will be a shared pool of talents too so
everything fitted perfectly. I wanted to find someone like me and I am sure Chris is
the perfect fit.
“I have spent the last 12 months planning for this, where the A-team have been
enjoying more face to face meetings and learning about the business from the first
proposal stage. It has been very strange taking a back seat and I’m sure it will take a
while to adjust to ‘retired’ life.
“For our clients it is very much business and the same excellent level of service will
continue as usual. People will still see me running my training courses at the
Shropshire Chamber of Commerce.”
However, Helen and her husband Paul didn’t sit still for long and have already
purchased a “semi-retirement” business which was formerly owned by a client. The
duo now own on-line blanket business www.blanketworld.co.uk
Chris, who is already working closely with his team, said he was looking forward to
empowering the staff to grow and develop.
“I am so pleased to have acquired Ascendancy and look forward to working with the
team.
“Helen has done a brilliant job to grow the agency to where it is today and now
Christina and I look forward to focusing on the growth and elevation of the team
including the front-facing role which Helen has held throughout,” the 43 year old said.
“I have plans for promotion for team members and they will develop by having more
say on the business. I am looking to empower the team – for me it is all about
growing the team and growing the individuals within that team so they can achieve
their career ambitions.
“Our other agency, Copper Bay Digital, is of a similar size as Ascendancy with 10
members of staff and has additional expertise in development, whereas Ascendancy
has a stronger digital marketing team so there will be many shared opportunities
between the two agencies.”
Chris said aspects of the business which particularly attracted him to acquire it after
meeting Helen at a digital conference was the “fantastic apprenticeship route” which
Helen established; the permanent four-day working week so the team could enjoy a
better work/life balance and the career and development opportunities which had
been created for the team.
Chris has already created a “Continuous Improvement Team” whereby any member
of the team can volunteer to join that team which will see team members come up
with ideas for the business, for their colleagues and to empower each other.
“I’d like to thank Helen for putting her trust in us resulting in this exciting acquisition.
“I know Helen won’t be a stranger as she is now our landlord and we can always
share a brew in the garden or a beer in the Ascendancy bar!” Chris added.
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