Interpublic Group (IPG) has announced the merger of agencies Mullen and Lowe and Partners to form a global agency network called the Mullen Lowe Group.
Alex Leikikh, previously Mullen’s CEO, has been named Worldwide CEO of the new Mullen Lowe Group. Michael Wall, the Lowe and Partners CEO, has decided to leave the company after a brief transitional period. The executive leadership team for the new entity will be drawn from both companies and across world markets, with Jose Miguel Sokoloff continuing in his position as vhairman of the Global Creative Council.
Mullen Lowe Group will begin operations in the US and UK markets effective immediately:
In the US, Mullen Lowe Group will oversee Mullen’s offices in Boston, Los Angeles and Winston-Salem, which will rebrand as Mullen Lowe. Lowe Profero in New York and Mullen’s integrated media unit, Mediahub, will report into Mullen Lowe Group. In addition, Mullen Lowe Group will open an office in New York.
In the U.K, Mullen Lowe Group will oversee DLKW Lowe, as well as Lowe Profero and Lowe Open in London. Campbell Ewald and its clients will continue to access the international network as required. The agency — with offices in Detroit, San Antonio, New York, and Los Angeles — will operate independently within the Mullen Lowe Group.
All Lowe agencies in key international markets will report to Mullen Lowe Group and Leikikh. Plans are in place to migrate agencies to the Mullen Lowe branding for the bulk of Lowe’s current international markets, as appropriate, over the course of 2015 and 2016.
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