Upbeat Martin Sorrell’s going nuts for expansion as S4 revenues rise

SIR Martin Sorrell is back - or at least making jokes again. The former WPP chief executive, ousted in acrimonious circumstances, today said his new outfit S4 Capital was on the up.

He intends to steal trade from WPP with niftier digital offerings to suit clients in the internet age.

In the third quarter revenues rose 45% to £26 million. He had told investors: “S4 Capital of which I am executive chairman, is a peanut in comparison, but I do have to admit that some people have peanut allergies.” Today he joked that, after strong growth, S4 was a “coconut” and had had a “good start”.

The quarter saw S4 complete a reverse takeover of Derriston Capital which allowed it to trade on the stock exchange.

S4 intends to grow by acquisition too. Last week it revealed it is in talks with US advertising firm Mightyhive in a possible £150 million deal.

It would be Sorrell’s second acquisition after beating his former company WPP in a battle for Dutch agency Media Monks in July.

Sorrell said: “Trading is very much in line with our objectives for this first quarter since the merger with Media Monks.”