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Merger of 2 networks planned to bolster agency's position in Europe
Publicis Groupe is looking at merging its stalled second European network, FCA!BMZ, with Publicis-owned Saatchi Sz Saatchi to give Saatchi a boost in the region.
"We are actively seeking to improve the position of Saatchi & Saatchi across Europe," said JeanPaul Morin, Publicis' general secretary. "There are a number of ideas on the table for doing this, none of which have been finalized."
How much FCA!BMZ would help Saatchi isn't entirely clear. An analyst in France last week described FCA!BMZ as "an empty shell." Last year, Publicis talked about folding FCA!BMZ into the Publicis network.
Mr. Morin, formerly Publicis' chief financial officer, was appointed by Chairman-CEO Maurice Levy to oversee the integration of Saatchi into Publicis as well as international expansion strategy and acquisitions (AA, Oct. 9). Publicis bought Saatchi in...