Potential of full service email offering persuades Lyris to acquire UK reseller

by Daniel Farey-Jones, Brand Republic 13-May-09, 13:50

LONDON - US online marketing provider Lyris has taken over its UK reseller and entrusted its former owner Andrew Robinson with extending its full service email offering to non-UK clients.

Until the acquisition, Lyris had been exclusively represented in the UK since 2005 by Facultas, trading as Lyris UK since 2006.

Facultas, with Robinson as managing director, had sold Lyris's List Manager and HQ software but enjoyed particular success with its full service agency offering, which is used by 15 clients including the British Museum.

Lyris is now investing in its own outpost in the UK, which is its first outside North America, having acquired Facultas for an undisclosed sum.

The 12-strong workforce will move to larger offices in Victoria and Lyris plans to double it in size over the next two years.

The sales team will be led by Donna McNicholas, who was recently named Lyris UK sales director. Facultas general manager Kieran Cooper has taken the role of senior manager of support services, looking after UK operations.

Lyris is planning to establish a 24-hour support capability by integrating its teams in the US and the UK with a possible third team to be recruited in Asia or Australasia.

Meanwhile, Robinson has been hired to work for Lyris as director of international professional services. He will help to extend the full service capability, which Lyris has not grown elsewhere, to non-UK clients.

Luis Rivera, chief executive of Lyris, said: "We have seen tremendous momentum for our Lyris HQ integrated marketing suite in the US and recognise a large opportunity in the European market for a SAAS-based [software as a service], online marketing solution.

"The services expertise of the Facultas team combined with new executive talent in the UK provides Lyris with a strong presence in Europe and will afford extended resources and market knowledge to new and existing Lyris customers worldwide."