Publicis acquires French comms agency
pharmafile | January 14, 2011 | News story | Medical Communications | Digital District, François Sarkozy, Healthcare Consulting, In-Sync, Publicis Healthcare Consulting, Resolute Communications, Yannick Sabatin, publicis
Paris-based communications giant Publicis Groupe has bought a health comms agency set up by the brother of French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
Healthcare Consulting will have the Publicis brand added to its nameplate but will continue to be run by its founders, chairman François Sarkozy and general manager Yannick Sabatin.
The company lists its core expertise as market access, promotion and distribution of new technology, emerging markets, research and technology transfer.
With an office in the French capital and one in New York, Publicis Healthcare Consulting’s key clients include pharma companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Sanofi-Aventis and Saint Jude Medical.
As part of the deal, Sarkozy has been made special advisor to Jean-Yves Naouri, chief operating officer of Publicis, who also oversees Publicis Healthcare Communications Group (PHCG).
“I am delighted to welcome François Sarkozy and Yannick Sabatin to our expanding healthcare offering,” said Naouri. “The duo brings a very compelling yet innovative approach to serving clients and we will benefit immensely from their expertise.”
“With this acquisition, Publicis Groupe continues to strengthen its leadership in healthcare communications and strategic consulting,” Publicis said in a statement.
Publicis, parent company of Saatchi & Saatchi, has certainly been active on the healthcare acquisition trail worldwide over the past 12 months.
In December PHCG, whose chief executive is Nick Colucci, bought Dusseldorf-based health comms specialist Digital District.
And earlier in 2010 it acquired Toronto-based In-Sync, a company specialising in healthcare market research, as well as buying up London-based agency Resolute Communications.
ZenithOptimedia suggests pharma advertising accounts for 9% of global expenditure, representing $41 billion in 2010.
Meanwhile trade magazine Advertising Age last year ranked Publicis’ healthcare comms network first in the world.
Adam Hill
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