AD Agencies
Havas acquires majority stake in Acento to expand public affairs in Spain
PARIS: Havas has tightened its hold on the Iberian advisory scene, acquiring a majority stake in Acento Public Affairs, one of Spain’s most influential public affairs consultancies. The move cements H/Advisors as a heavyweight in strategic communications across Spain and beyond.
Founded in 2019, Acento has quickly made a name for itself, advising clients at the intersection of politics, regulation and reputation. Led by co CEOs Alfonso Alonso and Pepe Blanco, the firm employs more than 50 professionals across Madrid, Barcelona and Brussels.
Under the deal, Acento will be fully integrated into H/Advisors, Havas’ global strategic advisory and public affairs network. The firm will rebrand as H/Advisors and continue under the leadership of Alonso and Blanco, while gaining access to a worldwide bench of 1,500 specialists across 50 offices.
For Havas, the acquisition is another confident step in an expansion streak that has seen H/Advisors grow through targeted buys, including Gauly Advisors in Germany, Cunha Vaz and Associados in Portugal, Australian Public Affairs in Australia, and Klareco Communications in Singapore. In Spain, H/Advisors has been present since 2022 following the acquisition of Tinkle.
Havas chairman and CEO Yannick Bolloré, said Spain and Portugal remain key markets for the group. He welcomed Acento’s leadership and team, adding that they would help set new standards in strategic advisory communications across regions.
Alonso described the move as a natural next chapter for Acento, noting the shared values and focus on senior level counsel. Blanco added that joining a multinational group with a strong commitment to public affairs would allow the firm to truly think and act globally.
Europe sits high on H/Advisors’ priority list. Over the past year, the network has strengthened its Brussels presence, bringing together teams from Acento Brussels and Gauly Advisors close to the heart of EU decision making.
H/Advisors executive chairman and Havas executive vice president Stéphane Fouks, said the deal underlines the growing importance of public affairs and strategic communications as organisations navigate political and reputational complexity. Strengthening leadership in Spain and Europe, he said, is central to H/Advisors’ ambition to build a truly international advisory group.
In short, Havas is not just buying scale. It is buying influence, insight and a sharper voice in a region where the conversation increasingly matters.
AD Agencies
Microsoft shifts global media account from Dentsu to Publicis Groupe: Reports
Closed review ends decade-long tie-up; Xbox remit may remain with Dentsu
MUMBAI: Microsoft has reassigned its global media planning and buying business to Publicis Groupe, according to media reports, ending Dentsu’s long-standing stewardship of one of the advertising industry’s biggest accounts.
The move follows a closed review and marks a notable shake-up in the global media landscape. Dentsu, which managed the account through Carat, had held the mandate since 2014 and successfully defended it in a 2018 review.
While the broader business is shifting, Dentsu is expected to retain media responsibilities for Xbox, according to media reports, though the exact contours of that arrangement remain unclear. None of the parties involved have publicly outlined the transition timeline or the full structure of the handover.
The scale of the account underscores the significance of the change. Estimates from COMvergence, cited by Ad Age, peg Microsoft’s global media spend at roughly $700 million last year.
For Publicis Groupe, the win deepens an already expanding relationship with the tech giant. Earlier this year, Microsoft Advertising partnered with Publicis Media Exchange and Epsilon to integrate Epsilon’s data into its platform, aiming to sharpen targeting across search, native and display formats.
The decision reflects a broader industry shift, as large advertisers increasingly favour agency partners with strong first-party data capabilities, AI integration and platform-led solutions. Publicis Groupe has been leaning into this model, positioning its data assets and technology stack as a central differentiator.
For Dentsu, the loss is significant. Media remains a core pillar of its global business, and the development comes close on the heels of leadership changes, including the appointment of Takeshi Sano as global chief executive officer.
The shift also carries a touch of irony. Microsoft and Dentsu have worked closely beyond the client-agency relationship, including collaborations around AI tools such as Copilot to support media and creative workflows.
As the dust settles, the message is clear: in today’s data-driven, AI-powered media world, relationships may be long, but they are rarely permanent.
