IPG India agencies see leadership reshuffle ahead of merger with Omnicom

As the Interpublic Group (IPG) inches closer to a merger with Omincom, a quiet but significant shuffle is already underway across key agencies within the IPG Group’s India arm which has several media and creative agencies in its fold. This includes Mediabrands, FCB, Kinnect, McCann Worldgroup, and Weber Shandwick. 

The internal restructuring — playing out even before the official merger is finalized globally — suggests that the deal’s impact is being felt in boardrooms, hallways, and HR cabins much sooner than expected.

Over the past three to four weeks, a series of leadership changes and exits at the India arm of the US-based group has sparked speculation about deeper transitions underway behind the scenes.

In a pivotal leadership move at flagship firm Mediabrands India, Shashi Sinha has taken over as Executive Chairman, while Amardeep Singh, erstwhile chief of Interactive Avenues, has been elevated to CEO. Shantanu Sirohi has been elevated from COO to CEO role at Interactive Avenues. E4m exclusively covered these developments over the last two days. 

Another role change at Mediabrands is Paras Mehta, who led IPG’s Data Driven Programmatic division from the Mumbai HQ since 2019. He has recently been shifted to the Global Capabilities Centre (GCC) in Pune. This change hints at increasing focus on back-end global operations. 

Mediabrands currently lacks a functional corporate communications team. The last known media liaison, Ashish Arora, has shifted his base to GCC Pune. His role remains unfilled — a conspicuous absence at a time when clarity and messaging are paramount.

At McCann Worldgroup India — the prominent creative agency under the IPG fold— Jitendar Dabas, Chief Operating Officer, exited after a decade-long stint to join Cheil. Alok Lall, a veteran of 14 years, has also moved on. The agency reportedly has been quietly trimming its workforce and has parted ways with several senior executives over the past several months, sources said.

Amid these changes, Abhinav Tripathi, who has been the Creative Head of McCann Worldgroup since 2017, has left the agency and joined FCB Kinnect as National Creative Director (NCD).

In the PR vertical, Valerie Pinto, CEO of Weber Shandwick India and a familiar name in the communication ecosystem, has stepped down after 10 years at the helm.

The other major agencies under the IPG group fold have also witnessed transitions over the last couple of months. For instance, FCB Group India, has rebranded itself to FCB India.

While company officials insist that these are 'routine changes' unrelated to the impending acquisition by Omnicom, insiders claim, “Many executives feel their role may become obsolete once agencies are merged. Hence, they are trying to switch gears to keep themselves relevant for the upcoming days.”

Acquisition on cards in the second half?

One of the most transformative developments of the advertising industry globally in 2024 was Omnicom’s announcement to acquire Interpublic Group. Once combined, the two companies will form the industry's most comprehensive network—offering the deepest pool of marketing talent and a wide-ranging portfolio of innovative services and products. 

“The merged entity is expected to realize significant cost synergies, estimated at $750 million annually, while continuing to prioritize client service and innovation. A key advantage of the merger will be the integration of Acxiom’s best-in-class first-party data management capabilities with Omnicom’s Omni platform and Flywheel Commerce Cloud,” Omnicom’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John Wren said in a letter to his shareholders recently. 

While the acquisition awaits final regulatory approvals, which are likely in the second half of this year, investors have already greenlit the deal in March. As the industry awaits global alignment, insiders believe India’s operations will be officially integrated once the global strategy is locked in.

Nevertheless, the current shake-up bears a striking resemblance to past consolidation-era restructurings. “When Omnicom and Publicis attempted a merger in 2014, massive restructuring efforts were launched to streamline operations — even though the deal ultimately fell through,” noted an industry veteran. “IPG’s own history of reorganizations — including global consolidations of media and martech units — show how talent is repositioned strategically during times of flux.”