Scandi Podcast Major PodX Buys UK’s Platform Media In Eight-Figure Deal

Scandi podcast major PodX has bought the UK’s Platform Media in an eight-figure deal.

The highly-acquisitive PodX said the move for a majority stake in Platform will be the UK podcast market’s “most significant deal ever by the time it completes in full.” The deal is also the Stockholm-based company’s largest, and is its third in the UK.

Platform Media was founded three years ago by Matthew Sherry and Matt Sayward and its original content label, Folding Pocket, makes the likes of The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, Football’s Greatest with Jeff Stelling and The Fast & The Curious. The company also advises brands on strategy and has worked with companies including Amazon Music, Audible and the BBC.

With more than 50 members of staff and its own studio in London, Platform will continue to be led by Sherry, Sayward and executive director Rick Ankers. It has hired former Somethin’ Else COO Paul Burdin, who takes on the newly-created Chief Profit Officer post and had been consulting on the deal.

“From the moment we met PodX, something has just felt right. Our two businesses have many shared ambitions, mutual philosophies and an overarching entrepreneurial spirit,” said Sherry.

PodX CEO Staffan Rosell added: “Adding Platform Media to the PodX Group is a significant step in building a leading global group within audio entertainment and beyond. Platform Media, with its status-quo-challenging approach, is one of the most exciting companies out there.”

Qarlbo-backed PodX also owns Nouvelles Écoutes and Studio Minuit (France), Goldhawk Productions (UK), Listen (UK), Posta (Argentina), Filt (Sweden, Norway, Denmark) and Suomen Podcastmedia (Finland). The company was founded in 2022 as a vehicle to invest in international podcast outfits.