It’s been a decent stretch since a major Australian financial communications firm was purchased by a foreign player. The last was probably Third Person, acquired by Financial Dynamics (itself later acquired by FTI Consulting) in 2007.

The Australian Financial Review’s then marketing editor Neil Shoebridge (AKA Conan the Librarian) reported that Third Person’s founders Ross Thornton, Jim Kelly and Mark Gold received $22 million, though the final consideration paid was $28 million based on higher profits through the earn-out period.