AD Agencies
Omnicom swallows Interpublic—and 4,000 jobs could vanish with it, says FT
NEW YORK: The gloves are off at Omnicom. Five days after closing its $13 billion acquisition of rival Interpublic Group, the world’s newly minted advertising behemoth has unveiled plans to axe more than 4,000 employees and shutter several well-known agency brands, according to the Financial Times.
The culling comes as John Wren, chairman and chief executive, attempts to weld together what he’s calling the industry’s “most comprehensive and connected portfolio of capabilities”. Translation: a sprawling empire of creative shops, media networks and data firms now united under Omni, Omnicom’s AI-powered intelligence platform, which the company reckons will give clients an edge in a privacy-first, cookie-less world.
The new structure places seven executives at the helm of what Omnicom is branding “Connected Capabilities”. Florian Adamski takes charge of Omnicom Media, corralling agencies including OMD, PHD and Hearts & Science, plus data giant Acxiom. Troy Ruhanen inherits Omnicom Advertising, home to BBDO, McCann and TBWA. Duncan Painter will run both Omni and Flywheel Commerce Network. Chris Foster leads public relations, Sergio Lopez handles production, and Michael Larson oversees diversified agency services.
Beneath them sit more chiefs: Dana Maiman running Omnicom Health, Mark O’Brien steering Omnicom Branding (Interbrand, Wolff Olins and others), and Luke Taylor commanding Omnicom Precision Marketing. Jacki Kelley and Andrea Lennon will manage client success, whilst George Manas—currently running OMD Worldwide until February—takes on enterprise-wide growth and new business.
Omnicom is pitching five “strategic advantages” to justify the upheaval: the world’s largest media network, superior creative firepower turbocharged by generative AI, integrated commerce capabilities, enterprise-scale AI investment, and what it calls “identity leadership”—a privacy-compliant alternative to third-party cookies built on 2.6 billion verified global IDs.
Early client feedback has been “overwhelmingly positive,” the company insists. It plans a grand unveiling at CES 2026 in Las Vegas this January, followed by year-end earnings in February and an investor day shortly after. As a show of confidence, Omnicom bumped its dividend to $0.80 per share on 26 November.
But the timing is brutal. The advertising industry faces what some are calling an existential crisis as artificial intelligence rewrites the rules of creative production and tech giants like Meta make it absurdly easy for businesses to generate ads at scale and speed. Omnicom’s bet is that size, data and AI prowess will insulate it from the storm. The 4,000 people losing their jobs might beg to differ. Welcome to intelligent growth, Omnicom-style.
AD Agencies
ABBY Awards 2026 names 3 jury chairs across digital, PR and publisher
Aditiya, Dharmaraj and Puri to lead key categories at Goafest 2026
MUMBAI: The Ad Club has announced the appointment of PG Aditiya, Deepshikha Dharmaraj and Pavita Puri as jury chairs for the Digital, PR and Publisher categories respectively at the ABBY Awards 2026, powered by The One Club and The One Show.
The awards are set to take place during Goafest 2026 from May 20 to 22 at Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon, bringing together some of the biggest names in advertising and marketing.
PG Aditiya, founder and CCO at Talented, will chair the Digital jury. A former chief creative officer at Dentsu Webchutney, he now leads Talented, an employee-owned independent agency known for its unconventional structure and award-winning work for brands such as Meta, Google, Britannia and Tanishq. The agency has also been recognised as a global ‘Best Place to Work’ by Campaign magazine for two consecutive years.
In the PR category, Deepshikha Dharmaraj, CEO at Burson Group India, brings over three decades of experience in public relations and integrated communications. She oversees multiple entities including Burson Genesis, GCI Health India and Hill & Knowlton India. Known for her strategic counsel and leadership, Dharmaraj has also served as president of industry bodies such as PRCAI and PAFI, and has been a jury member at global platforms including Cannes PR Lions and D&AD Awards.
Pavita Puri, chief brand and marketing officer at The Indian Express Group, will chair the Publisher category. With over 15 years of leadership experience, she has been instrumental in driving the group’s transition into a digital-first media powerhouse, overseeing brands such as The Indian Express, Financial Express, Loksatta and Jansatta. Her earlier stints in advertising include roles at Rediffusion and Lowe India, where she handled marquee clients across sectors.
The appointments reflect a strong mix of creative, communications and media expertise, underscoring the awards’ focus on recognising excellence across evolving industry segments.
As the industry gears up for Goafest, the ABBY Awards 2026 promise to spotlight standout work, with seasoned leaders at the helm of jury deliberations shaping the benchmark for creative excellence.
