Intrepid Investment Bankers, a leading middle-market investment bank and the advisory arm of MUFG, a global financial group, announced that it served as buyside financial advisor to SAMY, the global social-first agency backed by Bridgepoint Group, in its acquisition of Get Engaged, a leading U.S. social-first agency specialising in creators, talent, entertainment and culture. The deal significantly expands SAMY’s scale and capabilities in the U.S. as it accelerates growth in social and creator marketing in the U.S.
The acquisition combines Get Engaged’s deep expertise in social media, creator and influencer marketing, and talent and entertainment with SAMY’s global scale and social-first capabilities across research and intelligence, strategy, creative, content production and social technology.
The deal follows SAMY’s recent Unilever Foods and Barilla account wins, as well as the appointment of Anabela Bonuccelli as its U.S. managing director. It is the latest step in the agency’s strategy to expand in the U.S. through both organic growth and acquisitions.
Juan Andrés Elhazaz Walsh, CEO of SAMY, commented, “Joining forces with Get Engaged consolidates SAMY as the global leader in scalable social media and creator marketing brand operating models. Through data and insight-driven work, powered by tech and AI, we maximise strategy and creative output, allowing these leading brands to resonate authentically with today’s audiences.
“Having established a proven track record as a leading independent social agency across Europe and LATAM, scaling our U.S. footprint remains SAMY’s primary growth objective and Get Engaged is the ideal partner to lead that expansion.”
Héctor Pérez, Deputy Managing Partner of Bridgepoint Europe, said: “This is another important milestone in SAMY’s global growth journey, bringing together two highly complementary social-first businesses and significantly strengthening the group’s presence in the U.S.
“Together, SAMY and Get Engaged will create a leading social-first agency globally, with the scale, capabilities and local expertise to support clients across markets. We are pleased to continue supporting the team as they deliver on that ambition.”
Founded in 2016 by Alex Dermer, Cam Fordham and Ben Hiott, Get Engaged drives culture with the power of influence and cross-platform orchestration, building genuine connections between celebrities, creators and brands through engaging content. The company has grown to more than 120 employees across Atlanta, New York, Nashville and Los Angeles.
Get Engaged will retain its founders, leadership and culture, alongside its hands-on approach to client service as part of the acquisition.
SAMY has more than 1,200 employees across 22 offices and operates in over 55 markets worldwide. In 2026, the agency has been entrusted with a growing number of global social and creator mandates from some of the world’s largest brands, driving its expansion into new markets including France, Denmark, Romania, Canada and Turkey, as it looks to become the leading global, independent social-first agency.
The transaction is supported by SAMY’s existing investment partner Bridgepoint, which became the company’s majority shareholder in 2025.
Intrepid’s Media & Entertainment team served as buyside financial advisor to SAMY. The transaction underscores Intrepid’s strength and leadership across marketing services, creator economy, and the broader media and entertainment industry.