Read Memos From Omnicom and IPG CEOs After Shareholder Approval Vote

Omnicom Group’s impending takeover of rival Interpublic Group (IPG) reached an important milestone today (March 18) when shareholders of both companies voted to approve the deal. 

The holding companies said they still expect the takeover, first announced in December 2024, to close in the second half of 2025. The transaction still has to go through regulatory approvals.

If it gets through those hurdles, the combined Omnicom-IPG would create the world’s largest advertising network by revenues, overtaking rivals Publicis Groupe and WPP.

Following shareholder approval, Omnicom CEO John Wren and IPG CEO Philippe Krakowsky issued memos to staff, both claiming the deal offered a “compelling” proposition.

Read their notes to employees below.

From Wren:

All,

I am pleased to announce an important milestone in our process to acquire Interpublic. At each company’s Special Meeting for Stockholders held earlier today, stockholders from Omnicom and Interpublic overwhelmingly approved the previously announced acquisition.

Their strong support confirms the compelling value proposition of the deal, which is poised to create new opportunities for our people and clients in a constantly changing marketing landscape. We will have the industry’s deepest bench of marketing talent and offer the most innovative services and products, all underpinned by an advanced sales and marketing platform. Together, Omnicom and Interpublic are uniquely positioned to lead in a new era of marketing transformation.

Today’s stockholder approval is an exciting advancement in our journey to become a combined company with Interpublic, and we remain on track to complete the transaction in the second half of 2025. As we move forward in this process, it is business as usual for our agencies. Our primary focus continues to be delivering great work for our clients, and I want to thank you for your incredible dedication to them over the past few months.

While we maintain focus on our day-to-day work, we know updates such as today’s are important as we move closer to completing the deal. With that in mind, we plan to continue a regular cadence of updates in the months ahead so you can stay informed on the process and our integration plans.

Thank you again for your hard work and continued commitment to our clients. We look forward to sharing more news on the proposed acquisition soon.

Best regards,

John Wren, chairman & CEO, Omnicom

From Krakowsky:

Dear Colleagues,

Today marked a significant milestone in our journey to combine our company with Omnicom.

At each of our Special Meeting of Stockholders, which were held this morning, shareholders from both Interpublic and Omnicom overwhelmingly voted in favor of the transaction, with more than 99.5% of votes cast at our meeting in favor of the combination, with a similar level of support at Omnicom. This approval reflects that our investors see the immense opportunity we have by joining forces, and the value we can unlock for our various stakeholders.

The strategic underpinnings of the merger are clearly compelling, so it’s gratifying to see that our respective shareholders appreciate the tremendous potential we and our colleagues at Omnicom have to create the industry’s most dynamic and comprehensive range of offerings, as well as a future-facing organization focused fully on the needs of marketers around the world.

Together, we will offer an unparalleled range of practitioners and agency brands, exceptional creative talent in all marketing disciplines, powered by cutting-edge technology, data, creativity, production, and commerce platforms. The combination will create significant new opportunities and deliver exceptional value for our clients and people in a marketplace that’s evolving at speed.
News of the stockholders’ approval is a crucial step forward, and pending regulatory reviews as well as other customary closing conditions, we continue to anticipate completing the transaction in the second half of this year. It’s important to note, however, that there are no immediate changes to our day-to-day operations. Our primary focus remains on delivering outstanding results for our clients at a time of great technological change and in a highly competitive industry environment. This includes our ongoing initiatives to transform and simplify our own ways of working, and to establish best-in-class centers of excellence in both corporate functions and platform capabilities that are accessible to all our companies.

As noted, we are committed to keeping you informed throughout this process and will share updates as we make progress on integration plans in the coming months.

Ultimately, joining forces with Omnicom will position our combined companies for sustained success, allowing us to invest in and prepare for a future in which accelerated change is a given. In the interim, we appreciate your continued efforts and support.

Philippe