AD Agencies
Prasanth Kumar re-elected president of AAAI
Mumbai: Group M Media (India) Pvt Ltd South Asia Prasanth Kumar, was re-elected as President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) for the year 2023-24 at the Annual General Meeting of AAAI held on 1 December.
Havas Worldwide India CEO Rana Barua was unanimously elected vice-president of the association.
Other elected members of the Board in alphabetical order are:
Sam Balsara (Madison Communications Pvt Ltd)
Tanya Goyal (Everest Brand Solutions Pvt Ltd)
Vishandas Hardasani (Matrix Publicities and Media India Pvt Ltd)
Mohit Joshi (Havas Media India Pvt Ltd)
Kunal Lalani (Crayons Advertising Ltd)
Chandramouli Muthu (Maitri Advertising Works Pvt Ltd)
Sridhar Ramasubramanian (Beehive Communications Pvt Ltd)
Vikram Sakhuja (Platinum Advertising Pvt Ltd)
K Srinivas (Sloka Advertising Pvt Ltd)
Publicis Group South Asia chief executive Anupriya Acharya will be the ex-officio member of the AAAI Board for 2023-24 as AAAI’s immediate past president.
On this occasion, Kumar said, “I am deeply grateful to the members of the AAAI for re electing me as President, a role I accept with great honor and responsibility. Our collective vision is to strengthen an inclusive environment, actively engaging with all stakeholders to shape a dynamic and future-ready organization. Our commitment is steadfast in strengthening unwavering support for every member, recognizing that while we have achieved few milestones together, there is still a considerable journey ahead. This prospect excites us; it fuels our motivation. When we collaborate and exert our combined efforts, we not only enhance each year for everyone involved but also solidify our resolve to be architects of change within our industry. We stand dedicated to not just witnessing but actively creating a transformative era, steering our organization towards new horizons of innovation and impact.”
On his appointment as vice president, Barua said, “I am passionate about policymaking that leads to impactful and positive changes to the advertising industry, that benefit all the stakeholders, including, media, consumers, and advertising agencies. I believe in the potential of advertising to foster economic development and enhance meaningful social changes. I look forward to collaborating with the AAAI members to bring these shared goals to life.”
AD Agencies
Publicis posts €4.19bn Q1 revenue, 6.4 per cent growth; backs FY outlook
Ad giant signals Q2 acceleration as AI and new deals power momentum
PARIS: Publicis Groupe continues to outperform the industry, delivering a strong start to 2026 under Chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun. Despite a volatile global macro environment, the company has now outpaced the industry for nearly 20 consecutive quarters.
For Q1 2026, total revenue reached €4,191 million, up from €4,161 million last year, with organic growth of 6.4 per cent. Net revenue, which excludes pass-through costs, stood at €3,460 million, reflecting organic growth of 4.5 per cent.
Exchange rates had a negative impact of €268 million, mainly due to a weaker US dollar and pound sterling. Acquisitions, including Adge.AI and 160over90, contributed an additional €46 million.
Performance across regions was largely positive, with some variation:
- North America, accounting for 59 per cent of net revenue, grew 4.7 per cent
- Europe recorded growth of 3.9 per cent, led by the UK at 6.2 per cent, while France grew 1.6 per cent
- Asia Pacific posted 5.9 per cent growth, driven by China at 11.7 per cent
- Latin America grew 13.3 per cent
- Middle East and Africa declined 5.1 per cent due to geopolitical challenges
AI-powered marketing services, which now make up 86 per cent of the business, grew 5.6 per cent. However, the technology segment, representing 14 per cent of revenue, declined slightly as clients reduced spending on large-scale transformation projects.
Sharing his outlook, Publicis Groupe chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun said, “Publicis had a very strong start to the year, outperforming the industry for almost 20 quarters in a row despite the volatile macro environment. Organic revenue growth reached 6.4%, leading to 4.5% in net and further increasing the gap with our peers.” He added that the company remains confident of delivering industry-leading performance. “We are confirming our industry-leading organic growth guidance of 4 to 5%, with the 4% rock solid, and a sequential organic growth acceleration in Q2 despite a higher comparable.”
Publicis continued its expansion with the acquisition of Adge.AI in March, followed by 160over90 in April to strengthen its sports and culture marketing capabilities.
Net financial debt stood at €1,156 million at the end of March, reflecting a seasonal shift from the net cash position at the end of 2025. Average net debt over the past twelve months was €1,035 million.
The company has reaffirmed its full-year guidance, expecting net revenue organic growth of 4 to 5 per cent in 2026. It also anticipates an operating margin slightly above 18.2 per cent and free cash flow of approximately €2.1 billion.
With expectations of stronger performance in the second quarter, Publicis remains well positioned to sustain its growth momentum.
