Merger possibilities as Havas overhauls global DM offerings

Staff,, Campaign, Thursday, 25 October 2001, 9:51am,

LONDON - Havas' decision to scrap its global Diversified Agencies Group, home to agencies including Brann and ehsrealtime, will result in the departure of Jean-Michel Carlo, its chairman and chief executive.

The network is looking at ways to integrate its agencies from DAG into its Arnold, Media Planning Group and Euro RSCG divisions. Brann has been told that it will

become part of one or the

other, with insiders tipping Euro RSCG, and industry sources suggesting that Havas will merge Brann in the UK with ehsrealtime.

However, Terry Hunt, the chairman of ehsrealtime, said: "A merger with Brann is one of the things that has been discussed but there are

discussions going on outside the UK. The Brann thing is possible but there are other options for us."

Carlo, a former chairman of BDDP in France, took the top job at DAG in 1997. He was also a previous chairman and chief executive of Young & Rubicam Europe.

Havas is expected to complete discussions with agencies by next week.

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This article was first published on Campaign