Publicis Groupe today announced that it would restructure its leadership and reorganize its current business model as part of a massive "transformation plan" to address "upheavals brought on by digital."
The French PR/ad combine's Supervisory Board met in Paris today to discuss a sweeping series of reorganizational initiatives that had been previously proposed by Chairman & CEO Maurice Lévy.
 Sadoun |
Those changes, which were approved by the board and go into effect January 2, is an attempt to coordinate Publicis' many agencies and offer clients increased resources. In a statement released today, Publicis said the initiative is a means of "reversing its current structure, built around the concept of worldwide networks, by breaking down silos in order to offer clients the Groupe’s entire know-how and expertise."
Publicis announced that it would now reorganize its disciplines across four distant "hubs," agency resources to which clients will now have access "in a simple, flexible and efficient way."
Publicis Communications will effectively oversee Publicis' creative agencies: Publicis Worldwide, MSL, Nurun, Saatchi & Saatchi, BBH and Leo Burnett. Agencies under this hub will no longer report to Lévy but to Publicis Worldwide CEO Arthur Sadoun, who was promoted to head Publicis France in 2009 and joined the company’s management board last year.
Publicis Media will bring together the multinational group's media companies: Starcom Mediavest, ZenithOptimedia, Vivaki, Performics, MRY, Moxie and RUN, among others. This hub will be led by Steve King, global CEO of ZenithOptimedia.
Publicis.Sapient will connect Publicis' digital platforms, which includes Sapient Consulting, SapientNitro, DigitasLBi, and Razorfish and its affiliated entities. This hub will be led by Sapient CEO Alan Herrick.
Publicis Healthcare will integrate Publicis' health and Pharma properties. It will be led by Nick Colucci, CEO of Publicis Healthcare Communications Group.
The statement said the independent identity of each of the Publicis' agencies “will be preciously preserved and nurtured."
Publicis also announced that it has developed a new executive role — dubbed Chief Client Officers — who would be charged with bringing together these hubs and gauging their performance. Publicis will create more than 20 senior positions to fulfill these roles. Publicis Groupe Chief Revenue Officer Laura Desmon will be responsible for supervising these executives.
Publicis Groupe reported 1.2 percent organic growth rate during the first-half of the year, and 0.9 percent organic growth rate in 2015's first quarter. Levy, the advertising magnate who has served as Publicis CEO since 1987, has said he would retire in 2017.
Abandon traditional content plans focused on a linear buyer progression and instead embrace a consumer journey where no matter which direction they travel, they get what they need, stressed marketing pro Ashley Faus during O'Dwyer's webinar Apr. 2.
Freelance marketers and the companies that hire them are both satisfied with the current work arrangements they have and anticipate the volume of freelance opportunities to increase in the future, according to new data on the growing freelance marketing economy.
Home Depot's new attempt to occupy two market positions at once will require careful positioning strategy and execution to make it work.
Verizon snags Peloton Interactive chief marketing officer Leslie Berland as its new CMO, effective Jan. 9. Berland succeeds Diego Scotti, who left Verizon earlier this year. 
Norm de Greve, who has been CMO at CVS Health since 2015, is taking the top marketing job at General Motors, effective July 31.
Have a comment? Send it to 
No comments have been submitted for this story yet.