MCG Talent, the marketing, communications, creative and digital agency, has completed a seven-person buyout, handing majority ownership of its Middle East and Asia operations to CEO Charlie Bowsher while allowing founder Justin McGuire to take a stake and remain close.
The deal follows a management buyout completed in August last year, when Bowsher acquired the company’s Asia-Pacific business in Hong Kong and Singapore, marking McGuire’s full exit from Asia and a sharpening of its Gulf strategy.
Financial terms were not disclosed. McGuire said the only transaction was a “seven people” deal.
McGuire said the latest deal is a continuation of a deliberate, founder-led transformation rather than a response to market pressure, despite interest from outside buyers.
“It wasn’t about the title rating,” McGuire said Arabian business in a special interview. “You can achieve strong prices by buying and managing. My biggest concern was the termination.”
He said past experience with acquisitions, both personal and professional, shaped his decision to avoid selling to third-party buyers.
“My wife sold Diversly to The Access Group in the UK, and I was very involved in that transaction as a lead investor. I saw the due diligence process closely and how things can change after a sale when ownership is removed from the daily reality of the business,” he said.
“I’ve seen friends and family experience the same things, and often the result is not what was promised.”
MBO ensures continuity and independence
In contrast, McGuire said management buyout preserved independence, culture and client relationships – key considerations for a service-led recruitment firm.
“With an MBO, continuity is protected. The business remains independent, customer relationships are maintained, and leadership resides with people who already understand the company’s DNA,” he said.
“The way we structured this deal also creates meaningful long-term upside, not just the initial price. In the service business, especially leasing, a management buyout is one of the most logical and sustainable ways to change ownership.”
Under the transaction, Bowsher assumes day-to-day leadership as chief executive officer, while McGuire remains Chairman and Advisor, maintaining a client-facing and strategic role during and after the transition period.
“The key is stability and continuity,” McGuire said. “Customers should not feel inconvenienced, and the team should feel like the leadership and culture they have known.”
He added that his continued presence in the UAE was a deliberate part of the plot.
“I have a strong personal brand in the Middle East and I am always a resident of the UAE, which allows me to stay connected,” he said. “I will continue to support senior recruitment, help grow the team in Dubai, and ensure new leaders understand our customers and how we work. Access to the founder is critical.”
From a growth perspective, McGuire said the company will focus on disciplined expansion across the Gulf, building on the lean partner-led operating model introduced two years ago.
“This is about strengthening the ability to hire seniors and continuing to invest in the delivery of services overseas, while growing without losing what made the business successful in the first place,” he said.
Established in 2010 as a Middle East-focused recruitment firm, MCG Talent now operates across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, supported by overseas delivery teams in Sri Lanka, the Philippines and South Africa, and works with clients across sales, communications, creative and digital functions.
“There will be no disruption to customers, teams or deliveries,” McGuire said. “This is about continuity, culture and momentum, and setting the business up right for its next phase.”
