The task force, to be headed by Publicis global chairman and CEO Maurice Levy, will look at how best to merge accounts and personnel into the main agencies chosen to lead the world's fourth-largest communications group forward. A task force is also being set up to look at how clients and personnel in Asia can be absorbed into Publicis group agencies. There is little client conflicts since D'Arcy lost the sizeable Mars business in a global realignment with BBDO and TBWA a few months ago. It is believed most of D'Arcy's local market accounts will be absorbed by Publicis to give the patchy network greater weight in Asia.
However, the prized global client spoils are to be divided among the bigger siblings. D'Arcy's share of the General Motors account will go to Burnett, General Mills to Saatchis, and Procter & Gamble will be split between Burnett and Saatchi. The speed of the closure took D'Arcy executives by surprise. At press-time, the fate of key D'Arcy executives - including Asia-Pacific president and CEO Garry Titterton and Greater China CEO Jimmy Lam - remained unclear. D'Arcy employs around 500 people in key markets across Asia.
See report page 5.
