5Pillars board game maker Zileej acquires design company Gould.Sydney

*Updates Peter Gould's new designation as Design Executive Officer instead of Design Executive Office

Dubai-based Zileej, the company behind the 5Pillars board game, has acquired design company Gould.Sydney for an undisclosed amount, the two companies announced today.

Zileej CEO Ansarullah Ridwan Mohammed said in a statement that the company had been a client of Gould.Sydney since 2011 and the “natural step” to expand its own creative resources was the acquisition of the design company.

"This year we have reached a point in the growth of our company that required us to expand our creative resources to support the new brands we are developing,” said Mohammed.

According to him, Zileej will now also have the resources to take ideas from concept to creation for its clients, including the operational processes of sourcing, prototyping, logistics, and quality standards.

Established in 2011, Zileej is behind the 5Pillars board game that tests players’ Islamic knowledge. The original has since been developed into a ‘funbox’ edition and a mobile app. According to Zileej, 5Pillars has sold over 100,000 copies since it was launched in 2011/2012. The company runs a 5Pillars kiosk in Mecca.

Gould.Sydney specialised in strategic branding and creative design work serving the Muslim lifestyle markets and Islamic economy. According to its website, its clients included UK’s Halal Gems, U.S.’s Noor Vitamins, and the Islamic Museum of Australia.

“Gould.Sydney is absorbed into the Creative Department of Zileej, of which I am the Design Executive Officer,” Peter Gould, owner of Gould.Sydney and co-founder of Zileej, told Salaam Gateway.

Gould joined Zileej in 2015 when the company rebranded from its original name Islam Inspired Ideas.

Zileej is currently working on its own brand of dolls called Salam Sisters, and Smart Muslim, a wearable technology for Muslims.

The company declined to reveal its turnover and ownership structure. It has 15 full-time employees.

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