MAM
Dentsu merges Fountainhead & psLIVE to form Fountainhead-MKTG
MUMBAI: Dentsu Aegis Network has merged Fountainhead with its experiential marketing arm psLIVE India to form Fountainhead-MKTG.
It may be recalled that last year, Dentsu Aegis Network formed its ninth global network brand – MKTG, the lifestyle marketing agency it acquired in August 2014. The agency also made the Fountainhead acquisition in India last year.
With this merger, MKTG brings its vast resource of experience and knowledge into the Indian landscape. The agency currently operate in various mature lifestyle markets around the globe. This knowledge, combined with Fountainhead’s local expertise is poised to produce some unique and outstanding marketing innovations.
“In India, the lifestyle marketing solutions market is growing at twice the rate of the ATL market. With Fountainhead, a leading player in India and MKTG, a leading global player, we now will have the best offering of global standards, through Fountainhead MKTG. This is another big step forward in helping us achieve our mission of being the second largest agency group by end 2017 in India, overturning for the first time the existing ranking, which has historically been in place for over 80 years in India,” said Dentsu Aegis Network chairman and CEO – South Asia Ashish Bhasin.
“With this influx of international expertise, safety standards, design & technology, Fountainhead MKTG will consistently raise the bar when it comes to producing events within the country. While officially we are a full-service marketing agency, in reality we are a creative group of people who come to work everyday to create unique, disruptive and innovative projects for our clients,” added Fountainhead-MKTG CEO Brain Tellis.
Brands
Sun Pharma to acquire Organon in $11.75 billion deal at $14 per share
Acquisition to create $12.4 billion pharma giant with global scale and biosimilars push
MUMBAI: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Organon & Co. in an all-cash deal valued at $11.75 billion, marking one of the largest cross-border pharma acquisitions by an Indian firm.
Under the terms of the agreement, Organon shareholders will receive $14.00 per share in cash, with Sun Pharma set to acquire 100 per cent of the company’s outstanding shares. The transaction, approved by the boards of both companies, is expected to close in early 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and shareholder consent.
The deal significantly expands Sun Pharma’s global footprint and strengthens its position across women’s health, biosimilars, and branded generics. The combined entity is projected to generate revenues of around $12.4 billion, placing it among the top 25 pharmaceutical companies globally.
Organon, which was spun off from Merck in 2021, brings a portfolio of over 70 products spanning women’s health and general medicines, with operations across more than 140 countries. Its established presence in key markets such as the US, Europe, and China complements Sun Pharma’s existing strengths and growth ambitions.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited executive chairman Dilip Shanghvi said, “This transaction represents a significant opportunity for Sun Pharma to build on its vision of reaching people and touching lives. Organon’s portfolio, capabilities and global reach are highly complementary to our own.”
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited managing director Kirti Ganorkar added, “This transaction is a logical next step in strengthening Sun Pharma’s global business. Together, we will become a partner of choice for acquiring and launching new products.”
From Organon’s side, Organon & Co. executive chair Carrie Cox noted, “This all-cash transaction offers compelling and immediate value to Organon stockholders, while positioning the business for continued growth under Sun Pharma.”
Strategically, the acquisition gives Sun Pharma entry into the global biosimilars space as a top 10 player and strengthens its innovative medicines portfolio, which is expected to contribute around 27 per cent of combined revenues. The deal is also expected to nearly double EBITDA and cash flow, supporting long-term deleveraging and investment capacity.
Sun Pharma plans to fund the acquisition through a mix of internal accruals and committed financing from global banks, while maintaining focus on disciplined integration and operational continuity post-merger.
If completed as planned, the deal signals a clear shift in India’s pharmaceutical ambitions, from scale at home to leadership on the global stage, with Sun Pharma positioning itself as a more diversified and innovation-led healthcare powerhouse.
