Publicis Groupe has announced a major restructure, splitting its business into four new ‘hubs’, including a new media division called Publicis Media.
Publicis Groupe chief executive Maurice Lévy revealed that the network’s agencies will be arranged under four new umbrella groups, with the aim of “breaking down silos” between agencies to offer clients a wider, more seamless proposition.
Publicis Communications will comprise creative agencies like Saatchi & Saatchi and Leo Burnett; Publicis Media brings together Starcom Mediavest Group (SMG), ZenithOptimedia, Vivaki and others; Publicis.Sapient, incorporating Razorfish, DigitasLBi and others, will focus on “cutting edge technology solutions”; while Publicis Healthcare creates a dedicated unit for health and pharma.
As part of the changes, SMG chief executive Laura Desmond will become chief revenue officer across Publicis Groupe, and will oversee a new team of chief client officers, with the aim of focusing its offering on client needs, rather than internal logic.
Publicis Communications will be led by Arthur Sadou, currently chief executive of Publicis Worldwide, while ZenithOptimedia CEO Steve King will head up Publicis Media.
Sapient chief executive Alan Herrick becomes chief client officer for Publicis.Sapient, and Nick Colucci will lead Publicis Healthcare.
“All companies, no matter their industry, are impacted by these technological evolutions, and Publicis is no exception,” said Lévy in a YouTube video (see below).
“Over the last 10 years, we have resolutely forged our path on the way to digital transformation, to help our clients tackle the new challenges of our time.
“The massive investments we made proved a clear positive – they allowed us to grow profitably and build unmatched expertise. In order to even better serve our clients, we ourselves have to go the extra mile on our transformation journey.
“What is this new ambition? To be the admired force for business transformation, driven through the alchemy of creativity and technology.”
WPP’s GroupM, however, wasted no time claiming that the new structure for its media operations resembles its own approach. Dominic Proctor, GroupM’s global president, commented: “On the structure of their media agencies, they are doing now what we did 12 years ago.
“It was sensible then and it remains sensible now, but even sensible reorganisations take time to settle and for real client advantage to materialise. We will simply continue to concentrate on the advantage we’re delivering to clients today.”
