Slight confusion in the offshore world this week when it
appeared that one of the leading firms had merged with a
well-known chain of newsagents.


Slight confusion in the offshore world this week when it appeared that one of the leading firms had merged with a well-known chain of newsagents.

However, offshore giant Ogier has, in fact, bolted on additional offices in the British Virgin Islands, Montevideo and Hong Kong by merging with five-year-old WSmiths.

The deal is a highly visible sign of the continuing strength of the offshore market and the need for the leading firms to have capacity in as many key markets as possible.

Ogier itself is the result of a bunch of mergers, having secured the first transatlantic merger of offshore firms, with Boxalls, in 2003.

As Ogier chairman Jonathan White puts it, it is “increasingly important” to be able to provide services from all key offshore jurisdictions in the current market.

“This merger enables us to do just that and gets us very close to achieving our ultimate goal of being the undisputed market leader,” he added.

That’s fighting talk.