Late last year there was a sense among City analysts that the floodgates would soon open for new issues on the Alternative Investment Market. A bleak year in 2009 that had seen many more companies leave the market than join its ranks was consigned to history and expectations were high that pent up demand among companies and their advisors would fuel a new wave of IPOs. As it turned out, investors were more cautious and while an increasing number of deals did get away, it was a mere sprinkling rather than the wave that many had hoped for.

Among those that did make a debut was Yorkshire based creative agency, Fuse 8 plc (AIM: FUZ8), which secured its listing in July through unconventional means and without raising any new cash. Nevertheless, for chief executive Nigel Hunter, the deal that saw Plus Markets listed Award International buy the company for £5m in shares and then jump over to AIM, has given the group the springboard it wanted. With offices in Leeds and Russia (where much of its technology development takes place) Fuse 8 specialises in technology-led creative work that boosts its clients’ reputations by helping to market and build their brands. Among its peers in the market are Tangent Communications (LON:TNG) , M&C Saatchi Plc (LON:SAA) , Next Fifteen Communications Group (LON:NFC) , The Mission Marketing Group Plc (LON:TMMG) and Chime Communications (LON:CHW) .

Within four months, Fuse 8 – which counts Adidas, Asda and Government department UK Trade & Investment among its clients – had secured a foothold in the all-important London market with a deal to buy Delete Digital Marketing. The company has just delivered its first set of half year results, with turnover growing by 16.5% to £2.40m and headline profits down to £0.2m from £0.4m, triggered by £0.4m of exceptional costs connected to the reverse acquisition. In an interview with Stockopedia, Nigel Hunter explained the reasons for bringing the company to AIM and how he intends to use the listing to grow the group in the future.

Nigel,…

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