Owners of Scottish creative agency sell business to staff after pondering sale

Neilson said: “Karen and I have been considering the future of Dynam for a while. This is a great business doing fantastic work for a wide range of clients, both national and international. There’s every sign that we’re only going to build on that success, and that is largely down to the brilliant team we have, many of whom have been with us long-term. We chose the employee ownership route because we believe it embodies the culture of the agency and will strengthen team continuity, making everyone feel increasingly committed to and engaged with the success of the business going forward.”

Green added: “We did consider a sale to a third party but rejected that very quickly as it would undoubtedly have disrupted the way we work and may have jeopardised our culture and, importantly, the employment of our people.”

The pair are transferring their shares to an employee ownership trust, whose purpose is to directly benefit current and future employees. They will still manage the day-to-day operations of the business. However, the key difference is that, as owners, the employees will have an effective voice and influence in key decisions.

Carole Leslie, founder of Ownership Associates, which facilitated the move, said: “Dynam are not alone in seeing the attractions of employee ownership. The UK sector has more than doubled since 2020, with research showing that employee-owned businesses perform better than other businesses during the recession, are more innovative and productive, and are healthier and happier workplaces with increased staff retention who are more prepared to take a long term view of business development.”

Analysis: Why employee ownership is gaining so much traction among firms in Scotland