ITV

Tag: Omnicom Group

  • Omnicom–IPG merger gets greenlight from CCI, ad world braces for a mega shake-up

    Omnicom–IPG merger gets greenlight from CCI, ad world braces for a mega shake-up

    MUMBAI: India’s competition watchdog has given a decisive thumbs-up to one of the biggest shake-ups in adland: Omnicom Group Inc.’s acquisition of sole control over The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (IPG).

    The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has formally approved the merger, clearing the way for New York-based Omnicom to swallow IPG whole. The deal sees EXT Subsidiary Inc.—Omnicom’s Delaware-registered arm created for the transaction— merging with Interpublic group, followed by its vanishing in a legal sleight of hand, with IPG emerging as a wholly owned subsidiary.

    The green light marks a major milestone in the creation of an advertising, media and communications (AMC) colossus that will now tower over rivals in over 100 countries—including India.

    Both Omnicom and IPG have long had a robust presence in India, vying for dominance in marketing communications and media buying. With the merger officially sanctioned, expect ripples—if not tsunamis—across client portfolios, agency turf wars, and talent poaching strategies.

    Omnicom brings to the table a vast arsenal of brand advertising, CRM, media planning, PR and specialty comms across more than 70 nations. IPG counters with an 80-brand empire powered by 57,400 employees delivering everything from creative and data to experiential marketing.

    The merger has got the go-ahead in 10 of the 20 global markets it has a presence in, according to reports. And it will have a smaller market share in India than WPP Media. 
     

    The CCI website only has a partial copy of the merger  application uploaded while its clearance document has yet to be put up. 

    As the global titans fuse, the industry braces for impact—and reinvention.

  • Vivendi shareholders give goahead to spinoff Canal+, Havas and Louis Hachette group

    Vivendi shareholders give goahead to spinoff Canal+, Havas and Louis Hachette group

    MUMBAI: If you thought, the world of advertising is only going through fusion following  the acquisition and merger of Interpublic group by the Omnicom group, you would be better off thinking otherwise.

    In Europe, there’s fission taking place. The combined general shareholders of Vivendi yesterday gave the company the go-ahead to break into pieces. 97.5 per cent of the votes were in favour of the separation of Vivendi from Canal+, Havas, and the Louis Hachette group (the company bringing together the 66.53 per cent investment in Lagardère and 100 per cent of Prisma Media). 

    The first trading day for the shares of these three companies will therefore take place, as announced, on 16 December 2024, respectively on the London stock exchange, Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Growth Paris.  
    With a quorum of 71.96 per cent of shareholders present or represented, the two resolutions requiring approval by a two-thirds majority of votes, namely those regarding partial asset contributions subject to the French legal regime applicable to partial demergers (apport partiel d’actifs soumis au régime des scissions), were overwhelmingly adopted with 97.57 per cent of the votes for the Canal+ partial demerger and with 97.58 per cent  for the Louis Hachette group partial demerger.

    The resolution regarding the distribution in kind of Havas NV shares to the Vivendi shareholders, requiring the approval of a simple majority of votes, was adopted with 97.61 per cent of the votes. 

    Said  Havas chairman & CEO and chairman of the supervisory board Yannick Bolloré: “We are delighted with the very high adoption rate of our spin-off project. This undisputable result confirms the strong support of our shareholders for this transformative transaction. Over the past year, the teams have been working on this transformative project, which aims to better reflect the value of Canal+, Havas, Lagardère, and Prisma, which have been impacted by a conglomerate discount affecting the group for several years; to unlock their full potential in a global landscape filled with significant investment opportunities.This vote gives new momentum to Canal+ group, Havas, Lagardere and Prisma Media and marks a new era full of opportunities for Vivendi. The company will continue to play its role, particularly by pursuing the transformation of Gameloft and optimizing its portfolio of high-quality assets.”

  • Omnicom and Women in Tech India join forces to advance DEI in STEAM

    Omnicom and Women in Tech India join forces to advance DEI in STEAM

    Mumbai: Omnicom India supported the launch of the India chapter of Women in Tech Global. Women In Tech Global is an NGO headquartered in Paris and committed to actively promoting women’s & girl’s empowerment in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics). The India Chapter spearheaded by Radhika Iyengar of Credera, a global, boutique technology & consulting firm, aims to empower women & girls through impactful programs, opportunities, and business-building resources in new and emerging technologies as well as in leadership building. WIT Global is designed to connect and empower women talent through a global network spanning six continents, 50 chapters and 9,000 plus members.

    The India chapter was officially launched on 8 March 2024, International Women’s Day, at the French Embassy in New Delhi, under the patronage of Thierry Mathou, French Ambassador to India. The event also welcomed policymakers from the Government of India, DEI leaders from prominent corporations, NGOs and The Omnicom Group of agencies in India, including DDB Mudra Group, Annalect India, Credera have extended support to the initiative.

    WIT Global country director – India Radhika Iyengar shared her thoughts, “The Women In Tech India team is simply overwhelmed by the traction the chapter has gained in a short span. Having soft launched just a few months back, we have grown from three to 500 plus since November 2023. The launch of the India Chapter marks a pivotal moment in the collective effort of Women in Tech Global, towards empowering 5 million women and girls in STEAM by 2030, while also tailoring our local activation outreach and programs to address India pertinent issues. The high dropout rate of girls in STEAM careers, the Gender paradox in India – are all alarming. We know the problem but also see that Global partnerships have helped evolve mediums that can foster women in STEM careers. Pursuing this path, we would want girls and women to traverse the path in Tech, be it in academia, in careers and to decision-making roles, in more empowering yet simpler ways and make their journeys more enriching & enjoyable.”

    DDB Mudra Group head – DEI Vanaja Pillai said, “The Women in Tech India chapter can be a pivotal initiative towards a more inclusive and innovative tech ecosystem. By championing diversity, we not only empower women but also enrich the industry with varied perspectives. The future of technology depends on our collective commitment to breaking barriers and fostering an environment where talent knows no gender. Together, let’s inspire and shape the future of tech in India.”

    French ambassador to India Thierry Mathou also added, “France is strongly committed to promoting women in science. In our international relations, we advance gender equality through our feminist foreign policy, which is translated into action in our bilateral cooperation with India. I would like to cite two instances:  the “Women in Science” programme led by our Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research (IFCPAR/CEFIPRA), and the targeted network initiative of the French Development Agency (AFD), GroW – Greening of Finance by Women, which aims to empower women in India by facilitating their access to the Indian financial system. I am therefore delighted that the Paris-based association, Women in Tech, is launching its actions in India. They can count on our full support.”

  • Omnicom Group’s Annalect India elevates its executive leadership team

    Omnicom Group’s Annalect India elevates its executive leadership team

    Annalect India on Thursday announced the elevation of their executive leadership team in India. The company will be completing their 10-year milestone journey in India this August as Omnicom’s delivery and capability centre. Annalect India currently has four centres of excellence in Gurugram, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad, with a strength of over 1200+ employees in the field of Tech, creative services, marketing science, media and global shared services.

    Effective immediately, Vishal Srivatsava, former president, Annalect India, will be taking up the role of chief executive officer, Annalect India. 

    In addition, Annalect India is launching three key organizations to drive growth and efficiency in the business outcomes and promoting leaders to take the charge of each.

    Operations Organization: Kiran Guruswami has been a partner in the growth journey from day one of Annalect India’s inception for the last 10- years and he will take charge as the chief operating officer. All business units including media services, marketing science, technology services, creative services, global shared services and governance will report to him. 

    Client Success Organization: Kaushik Srinivasan will take charge as the chief client officer. This team will be responsible for driving our exponential growth and engaging with clients and Omnicom agencies to drive current and emerging capabilities. 

    People and Culture Organization: Devya Patney will take charge as the chief people and culture officer. All people-centric units (employee experience, talent transformation, talent acquisition, HR services & tech, Annalect India academy, administration, employer branding & communication) will report to her. 

     All the above leaders will continue to report to Vishal Srivastava.

    Speaking on the occasion, Annalect Group chief financial officer & chief operating officer Steve Tobengauz said, “We will be celebrating our 10-year anniversary this August. So far this year, we have witnessed immense growth in talent, and support from Omnicom Group partners. We are confident of our strategy given the solid results and are going to double this year and expected to quadruple in next few years.

    Our vision will require us to rethink our operating model, and ways of working. To help lead through this we are initially focusing on evolving our leadership structure to ensure that our people, agency partners and clients are supported. Vishal and the executive leadership team have been instrumental in the company’s success. I’m inspired by Vishal’s leadership with genuine concern for our people and culture. It goes without saying that none of this would be possible without the support of the entire rockstar Annalect India management team.” 

    Newly elevated Vishal Srivastava added, “I take immense pride and satisfaction in leading such an amazing group of talent at Annalect India. As I take on the role of CEO, I also believe it takes a team to get the job done and support from everyone as we work towards it. I am privileged and thankful to be surrounded by great leaders in this organization. We are excited about the great future of our organization and the business value it delivers to Omnicom agencies and their clients”

  • iProspect India appoints Soham Bhagnari as AVP – Business Development

    iProspect India appoints Soham Bhagnari as AVP – Business Development

    MUMBAI: iProspect India has appointed Soham Bhagnari as the associate vice-president (AVP) – business development. He will drive business expansion across the West region and operate out of Mumbai, reporting into iProspect India operations EVP Brijesh Munyal. He will be supported by AVP for new business Krishna Mothey from Mumbai.

    Prior to iProspect India, Bhagnari has worked with Clique for five years as Director – Digital and Group M’s Mindshare in Mumbai. Before shifting base to Mumbai, he has spent the first four years of his career in Dubai, with stints at Wunderman and the Omnicom Group. He has worked across varied sectors such as banking, education, auto, entertainment, luggage and web publications in the past.

    iProspect India CEO Vivek Bhargava said, “Soham’s poised to play an integral role in our overall business growth plans and his high proficiency is sure to add immense value to the organisation. We’re geared up to scale, especially in terms of the numbers and nature of our clientele – this is the start of exciting times ahead.”

    “We’ve started taking steps in the right direction by building and investing in capabilities like video story-telling, content and creative to complement our existing performance and media buying capabilities. The larger picture is to make it a cornerstone of our growth! Post spending over 10 years in various facets of a continuously evolving medium, I understand the demands of the industry and its penchant for change,” Bhagnari added.

  • iProspect India appoints Soham Bhagnari as AVP – Business Development

    iProspect India appoints Soham Bhagnari as AVP – Business Development

    MUMBAI: iProspect India has appointed Soham Bhagnari as the associate vice-president (AVP) – business development. He will drive business expansion across the West region and operate out of Mumbai, reporting into iProspect India operations EVP Brijesh Munyal. He will be supported by AVP for new business Krishna Mothey from Mumbai.

    Prior to iProspect India, Bhagnari has worked with Clique for five years as Director – Digital and Group M’s Mindshare in Mumbai. Before shifting base to Mumbai, he has spent the first four years of his career in Dubai, with stints at Wunderman and the Omnicom Group. He has worked across varied sectors such as banking, education, auto, entertainment, luggage and web publications in the past.

    iProspect India CEO Vivek Bhargava said, “Soham’s poised to play an integral role in our overall business growth plans and his high proficiency is sure to add immense value to the organisation. We’re geared up to scale, especially in terms of the numbers and nature of our clientele – this is the start of exciting times ahead.”

    “We’ve started taking steps in the right direction by building and investing in capabilities like video story-telling, content and creative to complement our existing performance and media buying capabilities. The larger picture is to make it a cornerstone of our growth! Post spending over 10 years in various facets of a continuously evolving medium, I understand the demands of the industry and its penchant for change,” Bhagnari added.

  • Omnicom names Anil Jayachandran as communications planning head, Malaysia

    Omnicom names Anil Jayachandran as communications planning head, Malaysia

    MUMBAI: Omnicom Media Group has appointed Anil Jayachandran as head of communications planning in Malaysia.

     

    In his new role, Jayachandran will be working on key client accounts across OMD and PHD to drive thought leadership and best strategy practices.

     

    Jayachandran brings with him a diverse skillset on board, with over two decades of experience working across marketing, advertising, and research functions in strategy-related roles, including tenures at the likes of JWT, Unilever, Lintas, Ogilvy & Mather, McCann Erickson and Omnicom Group.

     

    With a career that spans geographies, Jayachandran has previously been based in India, Egypt, Malaysia, Bahrain and Dubai.

     

    He joins the Omnicom Media Group team from his role as strategy planning director at Leo Burnett.

     

    Omnicom Media Group Malaysia CEO Andreas Vogiatzakis said, “Anil’s incredible strategic mind, deep in-market knowledge and breadth of experience working alongside clients to produce innovative solutions makes him a valuable addition to the team. I am certain his hire will be instrumental in strengthening Omnicom Media Group’s strategic output for our clients, and we are more than delighted to welcome Anil on board.”

     

    Jayachandran added, “I am excited to be joining the talented team at Omnicom Media Group, and hope my experience and background will be able to complement current and future offerings.”

     

    Jayachandran reports to Vogiatzakis in his new role, and his position is effective immediately.

  • Tata tops the Best Indian Brands 2014 list

    Tata tops the Best Indian Brands 2014 list

    MUMBAI: Omnicom Group’s Interbrand India has released the second edition of its Best Indian Brands 2014 league table, the definitive guide to the top 40 brands in India.

    While unveiling the table, Interbrand global chief marketing officer Graham Hales said that with an impressive growth rate of 14 per cent across the brands within table, it can be seen that investing in brands is a good opportunity for Indian business. “Indian business may have been slow to start the process of creating really strong brands, but the opportunity is now evident and in its own right that should feed the impetus to create stronger brands,” he said.

    Interbrand India managing director Ashish Mishra believes that not just Indian, but very few Asian companies have managed to build valuable international brands. “In my mind, it has to do with a prevalent business belief that brand is a cost, rather than a strategic and long-term investment. Here businesses clearly lead the brand and are not led by it, with the brand mostly relegated to being an expression tool.”

    As a brand consultant in the region, he sees the need to continue to educate senior managers, about brands being an asset that requires long-term management and planning. If Indian companies begin to change their brand mindset, the opportunities are limitless.

    “Indeed opportunities are a positive way of looking at the challenges. And there can’t be a stronger motivation for us than to act as a bridge of sorts in the Indian corporate world – between the two league tables we bring to the market – best Indian brands and best global brands,” adds Mishra.

    Beyond resulting in a numeric value, the brand value perspective brings in an appreciation of where and how brand and business value could be created. These are the discussions Interbrand wants to create in the Indian market to create a rightful leverage for Indian Brands on the domestic as well as the global scale.

    The league table is pasted below:

     

  • TBWA Worldwide ropes in Troy Ruhanen as president and CEO

    TBWA Worldwide ropes in Troy Ruhanen as president and CEO

    MUMBAI: Omnicom Group has a new leader. The media agency has appointed Troy Ruhanen as president and CEO of TBWA Worldwide. Ruhanen succeeds Tom Carroll who will continue as chairman of TBWA Group. Jean-Marie Dru will continue to serve as TBWA Agency Network chairman.

     

    “Under the leadership of Carroll, TBWA is recognised worldwide for its strong culture and award-winning creativity,” said Wren. 

     

    “At Omnicom, we place considerable emphasis on succession planning, and Tom and I have long agreed that Troy Ruhanen would be the right person to take the helm of TBWA.  His experience in leading Omnicom agencies across geographies and categories makes this a seamless leadership transition that will build upon TBWA’s capabilities and reputation as one of the best in the business,” he added.

     

    Ruhanen joins TBWA from parent company, Omnicom Group, where he was responsible for driving cross-agency collaboration for Omnicom’s largest clients. Prior to this, Ruhanen held multiple senior management positions at Omnicom Group agencies, including chairman and CEO, the Americas, BBDO Worldwide. In that role, he managed BBDO’s operations in North and South America including the Proximity direct, digital and CRM agency network. Previous posts at BBDO include deputy chairman, North America and managing director, New York. 

     

    “The opportunity to lead TBWA is a great honour because of the deep rooted creative culture and its unique strategic method in disruption. The willingness to break from convention and the expectation for fresh thinking creates an environment for bolder and more innovative platforms. This attracts talent, unlike others, and produces work that creates a competitive advantage,” stated Ruhanen.

     

    “I love this network and I’m very proud of what we’ve become and more importantly where we are going. Troy and I have worked closely across a number of initiatives this past year and he’s the perfect person to take us to the next level,” commented Carroll.

  • Publicis-Omnicom’s $35 billion merger terminated

    Publicis-Omnicom’s $35 billion merger terminated

    MUMBAI: Paris based Publicis Groupe and New York based Omnicom Group have decided to part ways. The duo through a press statement has jointly announced that they have terminated their proposed merger of equals by mutual agreement, in view of difficulties in completing the transaction within a reasonable timeframe. With this announcement the proposed $35 billion merger has come to an end.

     

    A statement released by Publicis Groupe and Omnicom Group states, “The parties have released each other from all obligations with respect to the proposed transaction, and no termination fees will be payable by either party.”

     

    This decision was unanimously approved by the Management Board and the Supervisory Board of Publicis Groupe and the Board of Directors of Omnicom. In a joint statement, Publicis Groupe chairman and CEO Maurice Lévy and Omnicom Group president and CEO John Wren stated, “The challenges that still remained to be overcome, in addition to the slow pace of progress, created a level of uncertainty detrimental to the interests of both groups and their employees, clients and shareholders. We have thus jointly decided to proceed along our independent paths. We, of course, remain competitors, but maintain a great respect for one another.”

     

    The announcement comes after the meeting of the Supervisory Board of Publicis Groupe, chaired by Madame Elisabeth Badinter which was held on 8 May in order to decide on the action to be taken regarding the proposed merger of equals with Omnicom Group.

     

    The Supervisory Board examined the recommendation of the Management Board, which has unanimously voted to terminate the proposed merger of equals between Publicis Groupe and Omnicom Group.

     

    Lévy in an earlier statement said, “The two groups each have a brilliant track record. This merger was always one of opportunity, not necessity. The teams at Publicis Groupe worked diligently to complete the merger, but, in view of the obstacles encountered, the execution risk continued to increase. The decision to discontinue the process was neither pleasant nor an easy one to make, but it was a necessary one. Prolonging the situation could have led to the diversion of the Group’s management from its principle function: to best serve our clients. Our paths diverge today with mutual respect. Publicis Groupe will continue to pursue and accelerate the implementation of its ambitious strategic plan for 2018. I am very confident in our ability to successfully see this through and to achieve all our goals.”

     

    The deal which came in the limelight in July, if worked out, would have created the world’s largest advertising holding company, impacting mostly the Chicago advertising market. The planned merger had called for a 50-50 ownership split of the equity in the new company, Publicis Omnicom Group, with Wren and Levy serving as co-CEOs for 30 months from the closing.

     

    According to an Ad Age report, the proposed Publicis-Omnicom merger would have created a company with a combined market cap of $37 billion and joint 2013 revenues of nearly $24 billion. Combined, the duo could have leapfrogged London-based WPP as the world’s largest advertising holding company.
     

    With the merger being called off, WPP Group CEO Martin Sorrell can have a good laugh. Sorrell while talking to CNBC from China said, “I think this deal was driven by ego issues and emotional issues, I think both CEOs wanted to try and dislodge WPP from its number one perch and so it was emotional and egotistical. It was also a case of eyes being bigger than your tummy.”