INTERPUBLIC GROUP OF COMPANIES ANNOUNCES MERGER
By Adnews Staff
The Interpublic Group of Companies based in New York has announced it is merging Ammirati Puris Lintas with Lowe & Partners Worldwide, the main advertising arm of The Lowe Group. The merger will create a global group with billings of more than $11 billion, which will rank it among the world's top five agency groups. The new network will be called Lowe Lintas & Partners Worldwide and will operate offices in 80 countries. Phil Geier, chairman and chief executive officer of the Interpublic Group of Companies said "the merger will combine the professionalism of APL and its global clients with the creative strength of Lowe, providing a stronger worldwide resource that will directly benefit our clients." This merger follows True North Communications merger of its advertising agency networks Bozell Worldwide and FCB earlier this year. Those combined networks operate under the FCB Worldwide banner. Heading up the new Lowe Lintas & Partners Worldwide group will be Frank Lowe, as chairman and chief executive officer. Michael Sennott will join the new agency as deputy chairman. Sennott is currently vice chairman of IPG's McCann-Erickson WorldGroup. The Interpublic Group of Companies includes: Western Initiative Media Worldwide, DraftWorldwide, Allied Communications Group, Octagon, International Public Relations and McCann-Erickson WorldGroup. In an additional announcement, the chairman and board of the Interpublic Group of Companies has accepted the resignation of Martin Puris, chairman, CEO and chief creative officer of Ammirati Puris Lintas. Puris has also resigned as a member of the Interpublic Group of Companies board of directors. Puris commented that "one merger in a lifetime is enough" and he was interested in the Internet and its possibilities.