Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) and Publicis Groupe SA (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577) today announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for a merger of equals, creating the world’s leading company in communications, advertising, marketing and digital services, with combined 2012 revenue of $22.7 billion / €17.7 billion. Based on closing prices on July 26, 2013, Publicis Omnicom Group will have a combined equity market capitalization of approximately $35.1 billion / €26.5 billion. The merged group of more than 130,000 employees will be exceptionally well positioned to serve clients’ evolving needs, helping them to build their brands and grow their businesses in the rapidly changing communications landscape.
This deal represents the largest public company merger to date in 2013. Latham & Watkins advised Omnicom in the transaction with a cross-border team led by mergers and acquisitions partners Mark Gerstein and Brad Faris, securities partner Joel Trotter and litigation partner Jeff Hammel. The team spanned practices and offices in the United States, London, Paris and Brussels. Advice was provided by US partner Timothy FitzSimons and US associate Marc Granger, with partners Olivier du Mottay and Charles-Antoine Guelluy in Paris on corporate matters; by US partner Alex Cohen on securities matters; by US partners Nicholas DeNovio and Laurence Stein, London partner Sean Finn and Paris partner Xavier Renard on US and international tax matters; by US partner Roger Goldman on litigation matters; by US partner Marc Williamson and Brussels partner Michael Egge on antitrust and regulatory matters; and by US partner David Della Rocca on benefits and compensation matters.
Dan Lennon, Global Chair of Latham & Watkins’ Corporate Department, commented: “We are pleased to have been able to advise our longstanding client Omnicom on one of the most high-profile global mergers in recent memory. The proposed combination of these two great companies is groundbreaking in scale and complexity. Our work on this landmark transaction is a testament not only to the strength of our global M&A, corporate governance, securities, tax and competition law platforms but also to the strength of our culture, which enables us to handle these transactions seamlessly for our global clients.” Latham’s longtime relationship as outside counsel to Omnicom has covered a wide range of corporate and litigation matters.
