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Levy, CEO of Publicis, the world’s third-largest advertising network, has acquired controlling interest in Law & Kenneth, a New Delhi-based independent advertising agency.
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Maurice Levy / Getty
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When Maurice Levy visited India in December last year he he didn’t go there just to take in the Taj Mahal but also to investigate the country’s vast potential as being a market for global advertising agency which he controls.
Now it appears that his visit has borne fruit with the news that Publicis has acquired the controlling interest in New Delhi-based independent advertising agency Law & Kenneth, in order to make their first foothold in India.
The newly created entity will combine to form a working relationship with Publicis subsidiary Saatchi & Saatchi in India and will now trade under the title of L&K Saatchi & Saatchi (or Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi).
The new company will undoubtedly reinforce the Publicis Groupe’s presence in India, now operating between offices in the main business centres of Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.
Praveen Kenneth, Law & Kenneth’s chairman and managing director will be re-establishing his working relationship with Publicis, having been amazing city manager before formula company. Kenneth will be taking on the role as chairman and managing director of the combined unit, working directly with Saatchi & Saatchi Asia-Pacific in Singapore.
In a press release announcing the new arrangement Maurice Levy expressed his excitement to be adding the breadth and depth of talent and resources of Law & Kenneth to the Saatchi & Saatchi network in India, a growing and important market for Publicis Groupe as a whole.
“Praveen has built an impressive network throughout the country, one that will provide a heightened added value and a mutually beneficial relationship for both existing and future clients. We are glad to be welcoming him back into the Publicis Groupe family, ” Levy summed up in his release.
The newly formed agency, counts close to 300 employees and boasts of clients that include Renault, Dabur, TATA, AIG Insurance, Godrej, ITC and Reliance among others.
This latest acquisition follows that of Beehive and Neev into the Publicis Group during 2013.
Maurice Levy, was born and raised in Oujda a French protectorate in Morocco,
After building a reputation as a rising star in the world of advertising, Levy joined Paris, France based Publicis in 1971, taking up the role of the company’s IT Director.
Levy’s dynamism and vision saw climb to the top at Publicis and was eventually appointed successor to the company’s founder and CEO Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet, when he stepped down in November 1987.
Since taking charge at Publicis, Levy has been recognized within the industry as the power that has pushed it into one of the leading forces in the world of advertising. For many years rumors have been rife that Publicis would ultimately either acquire or merge with another of the major ad holding corporations.
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