MAM
GroupM closes 2019 with billings exceeding $50B: COMvergence report
Mumbai: GroupM, WPP’s media investment group, will close 2019 with more than $50B in annual billings for the first time, and three GroupM agencies in the top five of global media agency networks based on billings, according to COMvergence’s projections. Mindshare, MediaCom and Wavemaker rank number two, four and five, respectively, with MediaCom posting the highest growth among all agencies in the top ten over the last year at +6.8 per cent.
“This year, GroupM won and successfully defended $2 billion of businesses,” said GroupM chief growth officer Elizabeth McCune. “This is an incredible accomplishment on top of delivering breakthrough and award-winning work for our clients. A big part of this success, among other things, is attributed to a combination of data-led insights that drove our clients to new ways of thinking about their business, creativity in activation ideas, and the ability to connect client teams across markets with a more aligned strategy. I’m thankful to our client partners for choosing us and proud of our teams for earning their trust.”
According to the report, the total estimated billings handled by the media agency networks and standalone/dedicated client units and agencies – operated by the big six holding companies – reached about $166B (across 41 markets representing 94 per cent of the global media investments covered by COMvergence – Brazil and Japan excluded). GroupM had the largest industry market share at 17.2 per cent and 30.2 per cent intra-Big 6 group share.
GroupM’s m/SIX was also one of three networks that increased their billings by a double-digit figure (+14.8 percent) over the last year on a global level, while Essence grew double digits in both EMEA and APAC.
COMvergence will release final 2019 billings figures in April 2020.
MAM
Publicis Groupe names Rahul Titus global influencer lead
Ogilvy’s former global head of influence to unify creator operations worldwide
UK: Publicis Groupe has tapped Rahul Titus to lead its influencer capability globally, tightening its grip on the fast-maturing creator economy.
Titus, one of the industry’s early architects, joins from Ogilvy, where he built what was billed as the world’s largest and most awarded influencer marketing operation. In his new role, based in London, he will align Publicis Groupe’s influencer agencies under a single global proposition, tasked with delivering consistent solutions that drive growth across its connected media ecosystem.
The move signals Publicis’ intent to professionalise and scale influencer marketing beyond fragmented campaigns and regional silos. Titus will shape the influencer narrative across the Groupe, integrating talent, data and commerce as brands demand sharper returns from creator partnerships.
At Ogilvy, Titus led specialist teams spanning more than 40 markets and over 650 influencer experts. The agency claimed seven consecutive years, from 2019 to 2025, as the most awarded influencer marketing network globally. His teams secured the Grand Prix for Social & Creator at Cannes Lions for three successive years and clinched the Titanium in 2025 for Vaseline Verified.
Titus also steered WPP Onefluence for L’Oréal and served as global influence lead for WPP Open X, overseeing influencer strategy for more than 200 brands across 195 countries for The Coca-Cola Company. Earlier roles included managing partner and head of influence for the UK and EMEA at Ogilvy, as well as senior positions at MediaCom, Dentsu Aegis Network and YMU.
A founding board member of the Influencer Marketing Trade Body, Titus has long argued that the creator economy must move from hype to discipline. Publicis appears to agree.
As influencer budgets swell and scrutiny sharpens, the brief is clear: scale fast, integrate smarter and prove the returns. The creator economy has grown up. Now it must deliver.
