A management buy-out allows the digital marketing agency to regain its independence
Ghent/Brussels/Antwerp, 2 October 2025 – Ants, the performance-driven digital marketing agency, is embarking on a new phase with the arrival of Pieter Spiesschaert, former CEO of Trustteam. He joins the management team as COO/CFO and shareholder. Mira Ghyllebert takes on the role of Chief People Officer. At the same time, a management buy-out allows Ants to regain full control of the company. The agency is thus embarking on a new phase in its growth journey.
‘Pieter Spiesschaert has left his mark on the construction and consolidation of an internationally growing company,’ says Jacob Verroken, CEO of Ants. ‘His experience gives new impetus to our ambition to expand beyond Flanders.’
Founded in 2017 by Jacob Verroken and Sam Stals, Ants was born out of frustration with the traditional approach of marketing agencies at the time. With the two founders, senior expertise became the cornerstone — and still is today — with an average seniority of more than eight years. Their innovative organisational model, focused on strategy, advertising, marketing automation and online visibility, immediately paid off. Since then, Ants has established itself as one of the largest performance-driven digital marketing agencies in Flanders, with more than 150 clients, including Eneco, Barco, Neckermann, Smappee, the University of Antwerp, the Colruyt Group and the VRT.
After Jacob Verroken and Sam Stals, Kristof De Coninck, Nikolaas De Geyndt and Kenneth Tallir successively invested in the company's capital. In 2023, Frederik Vandenweghe joined them through the acquisition of Cosmos Collective. Frederik Vermeire did the same in 2024 with the acquisition of WiSEO.
In 2022, Craftzing became the majority shareholder, marking the start of a second phase of growth. This collaboration has doubled the team, which now includes 37 performance marketing specialists. It has also led to the opening of offices in Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels and the management of monthly media budgets of up to €2 million. These results earned Ants a nomination for Trends Gazelle 2025 and the title of Google Premier Partner, a label reserved for the top 3% of all Google partners worldwide.
Today, Ants is embarking on a third phase: with the acquisition of Craftzing's shares and the arrival of Pieter Spiesschaert as an investor, the agency is resolutely opting for a return to independence and continued growth.
Three years of strong growth
‘The collaboration with Craftzing over the past three years has made us stronger and more professional,’ adds Jacob Verroken. "And what's more, we're not leaving each other. We remain each other's preferred partners for digital projects. Where Craftzing's strategic consultancy ends, we continue with our expertise in performance marketing. This complementarity remains a real added value for our clients."
Roeland Tegenbos, CEO of Craftzing, also gives a positive assessment: "The collaboration has generated great results and has not harmed anyone, quite the contrary. Entrepreneurship is about collaboration, and collaboration is based above all on trust. We have always found that trust in each other. That is why we will continue to work together whenever a project requires it. We will also continue to share the same premises in Ghent, on Dok Noord."
New face, new chapter
The new chapter begins with the arrival of a face that is both new and familiar. Pieter Spiesschaert led the IT consultancy Trustteam from start-up in 2007 to European player status, with more than 600 employees in the Benelux, France and Romania.
‘At Ants, I find the same entrepreneurial spirit that I have always embraced,’ says Pieter Spiesschaert. ‘For me, the decision to embark on this adventure was an obvious one. I see enormous potential for growth for this agency in the coming years: in a healthy and ambitious way. And with a focus on talent.’
Ambition and opportunities
In 2024, Ants achieved a turnover of more than €4 million. This represents an average growth of more than 75% over the last three years. During the same period, 20 new employees joined the team.
The aim is to maintain this growth rate by focusing on quality and innovation. With this in mind, Ants is currently looking for senior performance marketers and senior growth marketers with at least three years' experience.
About Ants
Ants is a digital performance marketing agency with a unique structure in which people are at the heart of everything we do. With 10 experienced partners, Ants guarantees consistent quality and direct communication. At Ants, there are no account managers or project managers, only performance marketers.
Jacob Verroken and Sam Stals founded Ants in 2017. Kristof De Coninck, Nikolaas De Geyndt, Kenneth Tallir and Mira Ghyllebert subsequently joined the shareholder group. In 2023, Frederik Vandenweghe joined the company through the acquisition of Cosmos Collective. Frederik Vermeire did the same in 2024 with the acquisition of WiSEO.
The agency now has offices in Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels.