Bill O’Dowd

It’s been a rough year for holding companies, which faced a lot of rightsizing after years of scarfing up smaller PR firms. But Bill O’Dowd is building something different with Dolphin Entertainment, with a stable of marketing communications companies he’s accurately dubbed a “supergroup.” Since 2017, when the entertainment executive acquired A-list agency 42West, Dolphin has shopped carefully, adding consumer firm The Door, music PR gurus Shore Fire, influencer shop Be Social, and production/content shop Viewpoint Creative to its portfolio. “We’re buying companies where management wanted to stay, with opportunities to work together and increase revenue,” O’Dowd said. The market seems to like the idea; Dolphin’s NASDAQ-traded stock has soared (though, in fairness, a share cost 33 cents last year). Watch for O’Dowd to grab an events or sports marketing outfit next.