New Zealand-founded creative company Special has announced a partnership with investment firm Waterman Capital to support its next phase of international growth. The deal strengthens Special’s independence while providing capital to expand into new markets, develop new services, invest in technology and talent, and enhance its global offering.
Special, the New Zealand-founded creative company recognised as one of the world’s leading independent agencies, has entered a new partnership with investment firm Waterman Capital in a move designed to accelerate its next stage of global growth while reinforcing its commitment to creativity-led business success.
The agreement sees Waterman Capital become a significant shareholder in the business, joining Special’s existing partners in a single global ownership structure. The company says the partnership will provide the resources needed to expand into new markets, strengthen capabilities and continue investing in the creative talent that has fuelled its rise from a single New Zealand office to a network spanning eight locations worldwide.
Founded by Tony Bradbourne, Special has built an international reputation for award-winning work and long-term client relationships. Bradbourne described the investment as an important milestone in the company’s evolution and a strong endorsement of creativity as a driver of commercial growth during a period of significant change across the advertising industry.
“Our ambition has always been to build a global creative company that creates work which makes the world sit up and take notice, and delivers extraordinary results for clients,” he said. “This investment gives us more scope to pursue that ambition: to attract exceptional talent, develop new capabilities and bring the power of our ideas to more places around the world.”
While Waterman Capital will take a significant ownership stake, Special stressed that the entrepreneurial culture and autonomy of its local businesses will remain intact. Greater global alignment will be introduced through a new leadership structure, with Tony Bradbourne serving as Global Creative Chairman and Cade Heyde and Lindsey Evans taking on the roles of Global Co-Chief Executives.
Heyde and Evans said the new partnership would allow the company to pursue growth opportunities without compromising the culture and creative philosophy that have underpinned its success.
“We’re as brave and entrepreneurial today as we were on day one,” they said in a joint statement. “This partnership gives us the backing to keep pushing forward, creating new opportunities to enter markets, build capabilities and find further ways to create impact for our clients, whilst staying true to the extraordinary talent and culture that makes Special special.”
The investment comes at a time when agencies globally are navigating rapid technological change and evolving client expectations. Special believes the partnership will enable it to broaden its services beyond traditional creative work, with plans to expand design, public relations and strategic consultancy offerings, while also strengthening technology capabilities across the network.
For Waterman Capital, the investment reflects confidence in both the agency’s track record and the long-term value of creativity-driven businesses. Executive Director Jacques Venter said Special’s combination of world-class talent, strong client relationships and international growth potential made it an attractive opportunity.
Since its launch, Special has earned widespread industry recognition, including multiple Cannes Lions Grand Prix awards, an Emmy Award and three Global Creative Agency of the Year titles from Campaign. The agency has also been recognised for delivering tangible business results, earning WARC’s distinction as the world’s most effective independent agency network and securing major effectiveness awards across New Zealand, Australia, the United States and the Asia-Pacific region.
With fresh investment and a strengthened global structure, Special is betting that creativity will remain one of the most powerful forces in driving business growth on the world stage.
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