Indiantelevision.com Team

(31 October 2007 3:52 pm)

MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe has agreed to acquire one of the leading Indian public relations consultancy Hanmer & Partners.

Hanmer will now be aligned with Manning Selvage & Lee (MS&L), a major global player in PR and the Indian agency will be renamed 'Hanmer MS&L'.

For Publicis Groupe, this acquisition is in line with its strategy to expand its offering in high-growth emerging markets. It also strengthens MS&L's presence and capabilities in India, while offering Hanmer & Partners’ clients access to a global network.

Hanmer & Partners currently employs close to 350 professionals in 42 cities across India. Its clientele includes ACC, Network 18, Bharti Axa, Emirates, Enam, General Motors, ICICI Bank, ICICI Prudential, ING Vysya, LG, Religare, Tata Sky, BPL Mobile, Henkel and Discovery Networks, amongst others.

MS&L global CEO Mark Hass said, "We have a successful history of collaboration with Hanmer & Partners. This acquisition is an important component of MS&L's aggressive growth plans for Asia, where the firm already enjoys a significant presence in China, Japan and Southern Asia."