MAM
WPP’s Possible to acquire majority stake in German digital agency
MUMBAI: WPP’s global digital agency Possible Worldwide has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Conrad Caine GmbH, a full service digital agency headquartered in Munich, Germany.
Founded in 1998, Conrad Caine delivers digital strategy, user experience, asset creation, campaigns and CRM to its clients. Conrad Caine employs 140 people at its headquarters in Germany, and other offices in Pelotas, Brazil and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Conrad Caine’s revenues for the year ended 31 December, 2014 were approximately €8.5 million with gross assets of approximately €3.6 million as at the same date.
This acquisition continues WPP’s strategy of investing in fast growth markets, new media and digital, including data and the application of technology.
WPP’s digital revenues were $6.9 billion in 2014, representing 36 per cent of the Group’s total revenues. WPP has set a target of 40-45 per cent of revenue to be derived from digital in the next five years. WPP companies in Germany generate revenues of approximately $1.3 billion and employ around 7,000 people (including associates). On this basis, Germany is WPP’s fourth largest market after the US, the UK and China.
Digital
Google rolls out $15B AI, education and connectivity plan for India
AI tools for 11 million students, new subsea cables, and a national skilling push.
NEW DELHI: Google is backing its words with action. In a major push to future-proof the world’s most populous nation, Google DeepMind has partnered with the Indian government on a large-scale AI initiative.
Announced by CEO Sundar Pichai at the India AI Impact Summit, the deal is less of a gentle nudge and more of a full-throttle sprint into the digital age. Part of Google’s $15 billion commitment to South Asia, the plan aims to weave artificial intelligence into the very fabric of Indian daily life, from the deep ocean floor to the back of the classroom.
The most heart-warming slice of this digital pie is the focus on the next generation. Google is partnering with 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs, effectively dropping high-tech AI tools into the laps of roughly 11 million students.
The goal? To introduce generative AI assistance in schools, ensuring that the homework of the future is powered by more than just caffeine and late-night panic.
While the kids are busy with AI in the classroom, Google is busy under the sea. The newly minted India-America Connect Initiative involves laying down serious hardware, specifically, new subsea cable routes.
These digital arteries will link India to Singapore, South Africa and Australia. By adding four more strategic fiber-optic routes connecting the U.S. to the Southern Hemisphere, Google is essentially building a “data superhighway” to ensure India’s AI capabilities don’t get stuck in traffic.
Knowing how to use a tool is just as important as owning it. To bridge the gap, Google is launching its most ambitious skilling program yet: the Google AI Professional Certificate. This program is designed to help the workforce master AI without needing a PhD in robotics.
With full-stack connectivity and a massive investment on the table, India isn’t just joining the AI race; it’s looking to set the pace.
