NEWS: PHD poised to form Euro operation with top German agency

Pattison Horswell Durden is on the brink of forging an international

media network with two of Europe’s top media operations.

Debis Marketing Services, which owns Germany’s leading non-aligned media

shop, Debis GFMO, and Media Planning, the largest media shop in Spain,

are understood to be in advanced discussions about setting up a joint

venture with PHD in the UK.

The set-up would provide a home for international accounts that need

handling in the UK, as well as giving PHD the opportunity to pitch for

international business from UK-based clients.

The UK joint venture would effectively operate as a holding company,

which would subcontract all its media planning and buying through PHD.

The arrangement would allow PHD to avoid selling an equity stake to its

proposed partners.

David Pattison, a partner at PHD, confirmed: ‘We are in negotiations,

but we are a distance away from finalising anything.’

This article was first published on Campaign