• by Larissa Faw , March 8, 2018

MMGY Global has acquired Hills Balfour, a PR and marketing communications agency specializing in travel and tourism in Europe and Dubai. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Hills Balfour’s Dubai operation will now be known as MMGY Dubai. Amanda Hills, Hills Balfour’s founder and chief executive officer, will continue to oversee London and Dubai’s overall operations. She will assume the new role of president, HB and MMGY London and Dubai, partnering with the MMGY Global senior management team to grow the agency’s European footprint.

The acquisition, MMGY Global’s first major entrée into Europe, includes Hills Balfour’s offices in London and Dubai, increases MMGY Global's ability to service existing and prospective travel and tourism clients worldwide. This acquisition brings the agency’s total number of employees to more than 400 and overseas offices to four, including Madrid, Taipei, and now London and Dubai.

Hills Balfour is the fourth acquisition by the integrated travel and hospitality marketing company since private equity firm Peninsula Capital Partners and Fine Equity Partners made an equity investment in the company in February 2016.