MAM
Publicis reports increased 3Q revenues courtesy US, Asia
PARIS: Publicis the world’s fourth largest communications group has announced that consolidated revenues reached 2.79 billion euros for the quarter ended 30 September 2003. For the corresponding period last year the figure stood at 1.77 billion euros. This signifies an increase of 58 per cent.
In addition to new business won, Publicis Group effectively benefited from the improvement in the global advertising market, powered by the recovery evident for the past several months in North America and in the Asia-Pacific region. There are also encouraging signs in the European market, with relative improvement in Spain and of stabilisation in Germany.
However the European marketplace as a whole remains in negative in terms of organic growth, notably in France. In Latin America, the noticeable improvement in several markets during the third quarter made up for a decrease in Brazil.
Publicis CEO Maurice Levy admitted that while the global advertising market continued to improve the situation in Europe remains a concern. “If the German market seems to be stabilising, several significant European markets still remain difficult. The year 2003 should nevertheless provide us with the first year of growth in the advertising market for three years,” he said.
Publicis is hopeful about the ad market for next year since the biggest sporting spectacle the Olympics takes place in Athens in August. In addition the Euro 2004 soccer tournament should also give the depressed European environment a boost.
In the third quarter the amount of net new business won by all networks of Publicis rose to $600 million (515 million euros), This figure includes the loss of the global Philips account and of Carrefour in France. This brings to $2.7 billion (2.3 billion euros) the total net new business won during the first three quarters of the year. Out of this nearly 60 per cent is in advertising. In India Publicis Worldwide acquired the account of L’Oreal/Garnier. Actresses Andie McDowell and Aishwarya Rai are two of the fragrances well known faces.
Another unit Saatchi & Saatchi won the International Olympic Committee worldwide account outside of the US. It also won Emirates Airlines in Europe, Danone in Asia, several Toyota accounts in the US. The Leo Burnett agency bagged Canon in Australia, Mobinil in Egypt, McDonald’s in Indonesia, Petronas Dagang in Malaysia and Uni/President in Taiwan.
Digital
OpenAI’s Stargate lead Peter Hoeschele exits with two senior leaders
Trio behind compute push set to join new startup amid leadership reshuffle
SAN FRANCISCO: Peter Hoeschele, a key figure behind OpenAI’s early Stargate data centre initiative, has exited the company, according to a report by The Information.
The departure is part of a broader leadership shift, with two other senior executives, Shamez Hemani and Anuj Saharan, also set to leave in the coming days. All three are expected to join the same new startup, although details about the venture remain under wraps.
The trio played a central role in OpenAI’s Stargate effort, an initiative aimed at building large-scale data centre capacity in-house to reduce reliance on external infrastructure providers. Their exits mark a notable moment for the company’s compute strategy as it continues to scale rapidly.
OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement to The Information, “We’re grateful for the contributions Peter, Shamez, and Anuj have made to OpenAI and wish them the very best in what comes next.” The company also pointed to the recent appointment of Sachin Katti to lead its industrial compute organisation, signalling continuity in its infrastructure roadmap.
OpenAI has indicated that it does not plan to directly replace Hoeschele’s role, suggesting a possible restructuring of responsibilities within the team.
As competition intensifies in the race to build next-generation AI systems, leadership changes in core infrastructure teams are likely to draw close attention. For now, the spotlight shifts to what this departing trio builds next, and how OpenAI adapts as it scales its ambitions.
