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Air Marketing acquires Cleverep, uniting phone, email and AI expertise across Europe

Posted on by Hannah Sanders
Air Marketing Acquires Cleverep, Uniting Phone, Email and AI Expertise Across Europe | Air Marketing

This founder-led acquisition brings together Air Marketing's phone-led outbound expertise with Cleverep's strengths in data, AI, email prospecting and the DACH market, creating a stronger multichannel outbound offering for both sets of clients, across the UK, US and Europe.

Air Marketing is delighted to announce that it has acquired Cleverep — a Barcelona-based business — uniting two specialist B2B outbound sales businesses and their complementary strengths. The integration and merging of these two businesses creates an exciting new force in European outbound.

Air has built its reputation in the UK through phone-led prospecting, outsourced SDR delivery and the ability to run outbound programmes at scale. Cleverep which, while based in Barcelona, specialises in the German-speaking DACH market, has developed deep expertise in intelligent data, AI and email-led prospecting since 2022. Together, these complementary capabilities create new opportunities for clients across the UK, Europe and wider international markets.

The fit extends beyond channels and geography. Air Founder and CEO Owen Richards and Cleverep Founder and CEO Fabian Lindner share the belief that effective outbound combines proven sales expertise (humans) enabled by intelligent use of technology and data. That common ground shaped the deal from the first conversation through to the final signature.

"We have always believed in the power of a well-timed, well-handled phone conversation, but the strongest outbound programmes do not live on one channel. Cleverep has built something genuinely smart around data, AI and email, and the team understands the DACH market in a way that cannot be replicated from a desk in the UK. Combine that with our people, calling expertise and ability to scale, and the opportunity is obvious." — Owen Richards, Founder and CEO, Air Marketing

For Air clients, the acquisition brings immediate access to established DACH expertise, multilingual capability and a team on the ground in Europe. Cleverep also brings more than an additional outreach channel: its data targeting processes, AI-supported qualification and data tools will strengthen how campaigns identify the right accounts, develop relevant messaging and prioritise outreach. Over time, these capabilities will support Air's wider client base, improving the intelligence behind its proactive, one-to-one phone prospecting and helping teams generate stronger results in both quality and volume.

For Cleverep clients, Air provides the scale to develop the phone element of Cleverep's multichannel programmes much faster than would have been possible independently. Clients will gain access to experienced calling teams, multilingual delivery, international campaign coverage and the established processes and operational standards of a larger outbound organisation. These capabilities will sit behind the existing Cleverep team, allowing the business to move faster while staying focused on what it does best.

"From the start, it felt as though we had been solving the same challenge from different angles. Cleverep brings the data, AI, email expertise and DACH knowledge; Air brings deep calling experience, operational scale and an established UK presence. Together, we can offer something neither business could deliver alone. Just as importantly, Owen and I were aligned from day one on how clients and people should be treated. That made the decision feel right personally as well as commercially." — Fabian Lindner, Founder and CEO, Cleverep

Cleverep will retain its name, Barcelona base and existing team, with no roles being removed as a result of the acquisition. Its clients will continue to work with the same trusted contacts in the same way they do today. Air's clients will also see no forced change to their existing service. New capabilities will be available when they are relevant and when clients choose to use them.

"For existing clients, the message is straightforward: nothing changes unless you want it to. You keep the team and service you know. What changes is the strength behind them — better data, deeper channel expertise, more international coverage and more capacity to grow. This is not about bolting on services for the sake of it. It is about choosing the right mix for each client and helping them get better results from outbound." — Owen Richards, Founder and CEO, Air Marketing

What does this mean for you?

Discover how Air + Cleverep gives you access to broader European coverage, smarter data and a stronger multi-channel outbound capability.

Explore the benefits

Over the next 12 months, Air and Cleverep will bring their people, expertise and technology together to create a truly joined-up, multichannel outbound offering. By combining smarter data, AI-supported targeting, email-led prospecting and proven phone expertise, the group aims to deliver stronger conversion, greater international reach and more value from every pound or euro that clients invest. The focus will be on building shared client success stories across the UK, DACH and wider markets, while preserving the trusted teams and service clients value today.

Air Marketing Celebrates 10 Years of Growth, People and Pipeline

Posted on by Hannah Sanders
Air Marketing Celebrates 10 Years as an Outsourced Sales Partner

Air Marketing is celebrating its 10th anniversary, marking a decade of building sales capability, supporting client growth and developing one of the UK’s leading outsourced sales teams.

Founded in 2016 by Owen Richards and Richard Forrest, Air Marketing has grown from a small start-up into a business of around 100 people delivering outsourced SDR, telemarketing and sales services for organisations across multiple sectors.

Reflecting on the milestone, Founder and CEO, Owen Richards, described the journey as anything but straightforward.

“I cannot believe it has been 10 years. Where the time goes, I don’t know.

I’m not going to do one of those posts where everything has been brilliant. It absolutely hasn’t. In fact, at times it has been pretty horrendous. But that’s the reality of building a business.”

 

While the path has included its share of challenges, the company’s growth reflects a consistent focus on people, performance and long-term partnerships.

Building a Sales Business From the Ground Up

Air Marketing was founded with a clear belief: sales is a specialist discipline and organisations perform better when it is executed by trained professionals using structured processes.

Over the past decade, the business has evolved from pure telemarketing support into a full sales delivery partner, providing:

Today, Air teams operate as an embedded extension of client organisations, combining experienced sales professionals with data-driven campaign optimisation and continuous training.

This approach has helped clients generate predictable pipeline and measurable revenue growth.

The People Behind the Growth

For Owen, the defining factor behind Air’s progress has always been the people who helped build it.

In the early years, team members such as Shaun Weston and Marco Alfano-Rogers played a pivotal role in helping establish the foundations of the business.

As the company expanded, leaders including Gracie-May Bryan, Alex Burgess, Verity Studley-Wootton, Neil Clarke and Clodagh Murphy contributed to shaping the organisation and strengthening its delivery model.

More recently, the leadership team has expanded again, with Scott Walker, Esta Rigler and Wesley Vedder helping drive operational maturity and improved commercial performance across the business.

This evolution has helped the company reach new levels of profitability, process maturity and campaign performance. Owen says:

“Despite having rocks thrown at us at times, these guys run into battle with me time and time again. The result has been outstanding to see.”

A Partnership at the Heart of Air

The business was originally launched by Owen Richards and Richard Forrest, who had already spent nearly a decade working together in Australia before starting Air.

That long-standing relationship remains central to the company’s story.

“Richard and I started this journey in early 2016, having already worked together in Australia for around eight years. Our connection goes far beyond business partnerships or co-founders.”

 

Owen also paid particular tribute to Samantha Bennett, highlighting her role in supporting the company’s journey from the early days through to its current scale.

“I literally could not have done this without Sam. A true friend, an exceptional teammate and one of the kindest, most supportive people I’ve ever met.”

A Decade of Lessons

Looking back over ten years of building the company, Owen believes the biggest lesson is not about growth metrics or financial milestones.

Instead, it comes down to the people you surround yourself with.

“Career success is not the money in your pocket, revenue growth, or the number of meetings your AI agent books while you sleep.

It’s how you choose to live, to work, to share moments with people. It’s having the freedom to laugh at work, win and lose together, and still feel like you have purpose.”

Looking Ahead

While the anniversary marks a significant milestone, the focus for Air Marketing remains firmly on the future.

Demand for outsourced sales capability continues to grow as organisations look for more predictable pipeline and specialist expertise without the cost and complexity of building internal teams.

With an experienced leadership team, a sales academy and a proven delivery model, Air Marketing is entering its second decade with the same ambition that launched the business in the first place.

“To everyone who has played a role in the last 10 years – thank you.”

 

 

 

 

 

Air Marketing Relocates to New HQ to Support Hybrid Growth Strategy

Posted on by Hannah Sanders

PRESS RELEASE:

Air Marketing, a leading UK outsourced sales and marketing agency, has announced the relocation of its headquarters to a new site in Exeter, supporting the company’s transition to a more agile, hybrid working model.

Air Marketing can now be found at: Generator Hub, The Gallery, Kings Wharf, Exeter EX2 4AN.

The move reflects Air Marketing’s forward-thinking approach to work, designed to offer greater flexibility to its growing team while continuing to deliver exceptional outcomes for clients. The new space has been built to encourage collaboration, innovation, and a culture of high performance, aligning with the evolving needs of both employees and customers.

Owen Richards, Founder and CEO of Air Marketing, commented:

“Our new headquarters symbolises the next chapter for Air Marketing. It’s not about having more desks — it’s about creating the right environment for our team to thrive and for our clients to feel the benefit. As the world of work evolves, so too do we — ensuring we remain agile, connected, and relentlessly focused on delivering results.”

The relocation is part of a wider strategy that has seen Air Marketing continue to innovate its service offering, strengthen its training academy, and build strategic partnerships with organisations such as CRO Connected — further solidifying its position as a trusted partner for ambitious businesses seeking sustainable growth.

Air Marketing Announces Strategic Partnership with CRO Connected to Strengthen Revenue Expertise for Clients

Posted on by Hannah Sanders

PRESS RELEASE:

Air Marketing, a UK leading outsourced sales and marketing agency, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with CRO Connected, an exclusive network of Chief Revenue Officers and commercial leaders from some of the world’s fastest-growing businesses.

The partnership brings together Air Marketing’s proven expertise in building high-performing sales and marketing programmes with CRO Connected’s unrivalled network of revenue strategists. Together, the organisations will offer clients enhanced access to real-world commercial insights, operational best practice, and the latest thinking in sales leadership.

Owen Richards, Founder and CEO of Air Marketing, commented:

“At Air, we’re passionate about delivering tangible results for our clients. Our partnership with CRO Connected allows us to go even further — connecting the expertise of our sales and marketing teams with frontline perspectives from the world’s top revenue leaders. It’s about helping our clients not just to grow, but to grow intelligently and sustainably.”

Joshua Smith, Founder and CRO of CRO Connected, added:

“CRO Connected was created to foster open, honest conversations among the people driving commercial growth. Partnering with Air Marketing — a business that shares our ethos for transparency, innovation, and performance — felt like a natural next step. Together, we’re bringing unparalleled value to the organisations we serve.”

Through the partnership, Air Marketing will connect with some of the most experienced go-to-market executives across sales, marketing, revenue operations, and customer success. CRO Connected’s peer network is centred on sharing insights, strategies, and real-world experiences to drive sustainable business growth.