RPM Transitions to Employee Ownership

Independent creative agency RPM has transitioned to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), marking a new chapter for the 30-year-old business. The move reflects RPM’s long-standing commitment to putting people at the heart of the business, while securing its independence for the future.

The decision follows a period of succession planning and a broader review of the agency’s long-term direction. With strong employee retention, a deeply embedded people-first culture, RPM sees the EOT model as a natural extension of its founding ethos.

In the last employee survey, 90% of staff reported positive engagement, and nearly half the team have been with the agency for five years or more, a testament to the culture that underpins the business.

“After more than three decades as an independent agency, becoming employee-owned feels like the right next step,” said Dom Robertson, managing director. “This transition protects what makes RPM special - our people, our values, and our independence - while giving our team a real stake in our future.”

As part of the move:

● Founder Hugh Robertson becomes a non-executive director

● Long-serving finance director Robin Burman also steps into a non-exec role

● RPM’s leadership team, Dom Robertson (MD), Rosa Chapman (client and commercial director), and Rob Wilson (strategy and creative director), remains in place

● A new Board of Trustees is formed, including an employee representative and an independent trustee

The EOT structure means all employees with over a year’s service are now beneficiaries of the trust. Over time, profits will be used to repay the trust’s debt and fund employee bonuses and initiatives, overseen by a new Employee Committee.

Sophie Keenan, head of HR and newly appointed employee trustee, said, “We’ve always believed people do their best work when they feel genuinely invested in what they’re building. Becoming an EOT strengthens that belief, giving our team even more ownership, voice and opportunity. It’s a proud moment for everyone here.”

RPM will continue to serve its clients as usual, with the same leadership, teams and commitment in place, but with an even stronger foundation for the future.

RPM has long championed progressive people policies, from enhanced parental leave and access to mental health first aiders, to volunteering time, a financial wellness programme and early Friday finishes. It became one of the UK’s first creative agencies to achieve B Corp certification in 2021, and continues to partner with Creative Equals, Creative Lives in Progress, and local schools to support the next generation of creative talent.

Hugh Robertson, founder of RPM, added, “This is a proud moment. When I founded RPM over 30 years ago, the vision was always to stay independent, put people first, and create brilliant work with brilliant clients. Becoming an Employee Ownership Trust protects that vision and ensures the spirit of RPM lives on, in the people who make it what it is. I’m excited to see what the next chapter brings.”