Publicis Groupe to Acquire Hanmer & Partners, Top Indian Public Relations Agency

Regulatory News: Publicis Groupe has agreed to acquire leading Indian public relations consultancy Hanmer & Partners. Hanmer & Partners employs some 350 professionals in 42 cities across India. This strategic acquisition, subject to the approval of the Indian government’s Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), is in line with Publicis Groupe’s commitment to expand its offering in high-growth emerging markets. Following this acquisition, Hanmer will be aligned with Manning Selvage & Lee (MS&L), one of the world’s most important public relations firms, and the Indian agency will be renamed Hanmer MS&L. This acquisition significantly strengthens MS&L’s presence and capabilities in India, while offering Hanmer & Partners’ clients access to a global network. The consultancy specializes in public relations for a wide range of industries including consumer; lifestyle and hospitality; financial services; IT and telecom; media and entertainment; auto, aviation, engineering and infrastructure; and healthcare communications. It works in tandem with its specialized division Hanmer Reach, a unit that helps clients reach audiences across different geographies and diverse cultures. The firm also has several divisions including Hanmer Interactive, a multimedia division that focuses on web-based solutions; Hanmer Events and Hanmer Advertising. Its clients include ACC, Network 18 (CNBC), Bharti Axa, Emirates, Enam, General Motors, ICICI Bank, ICICI Prudential, ING Vysya, LG, Religare, Tata Sky, BPL Mobile, Henkel and Discovery Networks, among others. Mark Hass, Global CEO of MS&L, said: "We’ve worked with Hanmer & Partners for several years, and we have a very successful history of collaboration. Sunil Gautam and his team will add significant new expertise and resources to the MS&L family in a region that is of growing importance to the public relations industry and MS&L’s global clients. This acquisition is an important component of MS&L’s aggressive growth plans for Asia, where the firm already enjoys a significant presence in China, Japan and Southern Asia.” Sunil Gautam, managing director of Hanmer & Partners, said: "Partnering with MS&L gives us the opportunity to build our client relationships both inside and outside of India. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to join MS&L, and I think this will be a very fruitful and successful partnership for many years to come.” Hanmer & Partners Hanmer & Partners, with a presence in 42 cities in India, offers a bouquet of services including strategic counseling, corporate image management, brand support, financial public relations, events and promotions, outreach, creative services, interactive services and crisis communications, apart from media relations. Hanmer & Partners employs nearly 350 communications professionals across 10 practice and vertical specializations bringing some of the most creative, yet robust campaigns to life everyday. The firm works with 150 businesses with an even mix of multinational and Indian corporations. Web site: www.hanmergroup.com Manning Selvage & Lee MS&L is one of the world's leading global public relations firms. Headquartered in New York, MS&L has 60 offices throughout North America, Latin America, EMEA and Asia? Pacific, as well as an extensive global affiliate network. The agency meets the needs of global and local clients by providing best?in?class services in consumer marketing PR, healthcare PR, corporate communications and technology communications, as well as industry?-leading work in digital communications. MS&L won PRWeek's Best Use of Internet/New Media Award in both 2006 and 2007. Web site: www.mslpr.com Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577) is the world’s fourth largest communications group. In addition, it is ranked as the world’s second largest media counsel and buying group, and is a global leader in digital and healthcare communications. With activities spanning 104 countries on five continents, the Groupe employs approximately 44,000 professionals. The Groupe offers local and international clients a complete range of communication services, from advertising, through three autonomous global advertising networks, Leo Burnett, Publicis, Saatchi & Saatchi and two multi-hub networks, Fallon and 49%-owned Bartle Bogle Hegarty; to media consultancy and buying, through two worldwide networks, Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia; interactive and digital marketing led by Digitas; Specialized Agencies and Marketing Services (SAMS) offering healthcare communications, corporate and financial communications, public relations, CRM and direct marketing, event communications, sports marketing and multicultural communications. Web site: www.publicisgroupe.com