STABLE OR STANDING STILL: WHAT NEXT FOR THE UK AGENCY SECTOR?

The UK agency sector enters 2026 at a genuine inflection point. On the surface the numbers look healthy, with nearly 25,000 agencies, 194,000 people, £33 billion in turnover, but beneath the headlines, seven in ten agencies are standing still, new agency formation has been falling since 2019, and 0.6% of the largest firms generate nearly half of all turnover. 


 On top of this, the fastest-growing specialisms attract almost no investment, while AI, in-housing (82% of brands have in-house agencies), and procurement-led shifts toward outcome-based pricing are quietly dismantling the traditional model. 

 Attend this session for a sharp, evidence-based discussion on where the sector really stands, where growth is happening, and the strategic choices agencies need to make to move from stable to growth. 

Paddy Woods will be joined by Tom Salmon, Founder of Agency by Agency, and Mike Lander, Founder of Piscari, to discuss the latest Agency by Agency data and the new Agency Reset report on what agencies need to do now to set themselves up for the future.

Wednesday 1st July 2026

11am - 12pm

Zoom (Online)

Please note, by registering for this event, you will be automatically added to our mailing list to receive our regular communications.

MEET YOUR SPEAKERS

TOM SALMON


Tom is a people centric business leader, strategist and marketer with extensive experience advising agencies, investors and brands.

He is Co-Founder of Agency by Agency, which provides data and intelligence to the UK’s marketing, advertising, creative and media agency sector. Its mapping and insights on 25,500 UK agencies represents the only comprehensive dataset of its kind, helping agencies, investors, media owners, martech and adtech platforms, brands and procurement teams identify the right partners, accelerate growth and make better decisions.

Previously, Tom was Managing Director of award winning digital agency Epiphany (now part of Jaywing plc), a £12m turnover business with 190 staff across London, Leeds and Sydney.

Since 2020, Tom has supported agency founders, leadership teams and investors as an advisor and non executive director, specialising in strategy, operational change and proposition development.

MIKE LANDER


Mike Lander is an ex-procurement director, entrepreneur and commercial advisor to agency leaders facing tough RFPs, procurement pressure and the commercial impact of AI. 


He helps agencies improve qualification discipline, protect pricing power, raise win-rates, and build more defensible models as AI changes what clients think agency work should cost. 


Mike is the author of the Agency Reset thinking, host of the top 5% global podcast Higgle: The B2B Sales Club, and brings a rare view from both sides of the table: buying, selling and negotiating complex professional services deals worth hundreds of millions of pounds.






ABOUT PIMENTO

Pimento is the UK's leading Independent marketing agency network, with over 190 agencies and consultancy members, who in turn employ more than 6,500 professionals.

To keep ahead of the ever-changing marketing world, we are always on the lookout for Independent agencies and consultants that can bring something new to our membership.

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