WPP has unveiled plans to integrate five of its brand consultancies and design agenciesBrand Union, The Partners, Lambie-Nairn, Addison Group and VBAT to form a global brand agency, the new entity comprising merged agency is not yet been named.
According to the press statement, the global brand agency, which will launch in January 2018, will have a network of 750 people in over 20 countries, with client billings in excess of US$100 million worldwide. Current chief executive of The Partners and Lambie-Nairn Jim Prior will lead the new agency as global CEO, and CEO, worldwide of Brand Union Simon Bolton as executive chairman.
This move is part of a client-centric plan for growth, enabling clients to engage with a broader array of specialists and provide a more connected set of services. Clients will also gain access to the strategic, creative and client-focused strengths of each of the five agencies.
“Our clients and our industry are ready for change and by bringing these agencies together, we can serve clients across the full range of sectors, capabilities and geographies. This convergence builds the next generation brand agency and is motivated by the opportunities for growth—for our clients and for us,” Jim Prior, global CEO, said.
“Bringing our agencies together will instantly give our clients the benefit of scale and single point of access to a breadth of services that covers almost every aspect of brand and communications,” Simon Bolton, Executive Chairman, added.
