This article explains how the acquisition signals a much bigger shift and that in the AI era, customer identity and intelligence infrastructure are becoming strategic enterprise control points.

The ‘customer graph’ is becoming the operating system for enterprise AI. That is the real story behind Publicis’ acquisition of LiveRamp

It’s not about consolidation, scale, or martech synergies. The question this deal forces every brand to answer is simpler and more consequential: who controls the intelligence layer your AI runs on?

For years, identity resolution and data collaboration were treated as plumbing — necessary, unglamorous, largely invisible. Publicis just paid $2.2 billion to make clear that they are now the foundation on which AI understands customers, makes decisions, and drives action across the enterprise. That is not infrastructure anymore. That is leverage.

Here is what most AI strategies get wrong: The model is not the moat

Foundation models are commoditising fast, and within a few years most enterprises will have access to roughly equivalent AI capabilities. The differentiation will not come from which model you run. It will come from what that model knows about your customers, and how accurately, durably, and quickly it can act on that intelligence.

In that environment, identity, first-party customer data, and interoperability become foundational enterprise infrastructure. The companies that win will be the ones capable of creating trusted customer context that AI systems can act on in real time.

That is the bet Publicis just made. And it should prompt every brand to ask whether they are making it too — or ceding that ground by default.

AI does not fix broken customer intelligence

There is still a tendency in the market to talk about AI as though the model itself is the differentiator. In practice, the differentiator is whether AI has access to accurate, durable, and real-time customer context.

If the underlying customer data is fragmented, duplicated, stale, or disconnected from durable identity, AI simply accelerates poor decisions. A recommendation engine becomes confidently wrong. Suppression fails. Media spend gets wasted targeting customers who have already converted. Personalisation becomes irrelevant because different systems hold conflicting versions of the same customer.

We already see this problem today. A customer purchases in-store but continues receiving acquisition ads for days because identity systems across retail, media, and CRM environments are disconnected. AI does not solve that problem. It amplifies it if the underlying customer graph is inaccurate.

That is why this acquisition matters beyond advertising technology.

The industry is shifting from systems of record to systems of decision and action. The companies pulling ahead are not necessarily the ones with the most data. They are the ones capable of continuously transforming customer signals into intelligent decisions in real time.

Durable identity is the moat. Not the model.

Brands should own the intelligence layer

LiveRamp built its business on neutrality. Sitting between advertisers, publishers, retailers, and agencies, it acted as trusted connective tissue — a Switzerland of identity. Publicis acquiring it changes that, regardless of what the integration roadmap says. You cannot be neutral infrastructure when you are owned by one of the largest buyers of media on the planet.

The conflict of interest is not subtle. Publicis now has a financial stake in how your identity data is resolved, governed, and operationalised — and a separate financial stake in winning your media budget. Those two incentives do not point in the same direction. Enterprises should not need to trust that they will be managed independently. They should not have to trust at all.

This is not a criticism of Publicis. It is a structural reality. And the right response for enterprises is not to hope for the best — it is to own the layer that makes the question irrelevant.

This will accelerate demand for independent customer intelligence layers that sit above activation and media ecosystems rather than inside them — particularly for enterprises operating across multiple agencies, retail media networks, cloud providers, and AI platforms simultaneously.

Most large enterprises do not want their customer intelligence strategy dependent on a single identity, media, or activation ecosystem. They want the flexibility to choose the partners and activation rails that best fit their business while maintaining ownership of the customer graph itself.

That becomes especially important as more enterprises build internal AI capabilities and deploy AI agents across marketing, service, and commerce. The intelligence layer powering those systems is becoming too strategic to fully outsource or embed inside a single activation ecosystem.

The black box problem gets harder in the AI era

There is a harder conversation underneath this deal that the industry has been reluctant to have. Black-box identity systems are increasingly incompatible with AI-driven enterprises.

As AI becomes more deeply embedded across marketing, commerce, and service operations, enterprises will demand greater visibility into how customer identity is resolved, governed, and operationalised.

Black-box identity systems become harder to justify when customer intelligence is powering automated decisioning at scale.

Brands increasingly want to understand how identity is being resolved, how customer data is governed, whether customer intelligence remains portable across systems, and how AI-driven decisions are being made from that data.

That pressure toward transparency and governance will only intensify as AI agents become more operationally embedded across the enterprise.

Interoperability will become a strategic advantage

One of the most important implications of this acquisition is that ecosystem flexibility itself is becoming strategically valuable.

The future will belong to enterprises that can create a durable customer intelligence foundation once and operationalise it everywhere.

That requires more than a customer database. It requires an enterprise-owned intelligence layer capable of interoperating across cloud environments, media ecosystems, retail networks, identity frameworks, and AI systems without forcing businesses into rigid architectures or closed ecosystems.

This acquisition will accelerate enterprise demand for warehouse-native and composable architectures. Brands that locked themselves into closed ecosystems are already feeling the cost. The ones building on open, portable foundations are better positioned for whatever comes next — whether that is a new AI platform, a new identity framework, or the next acquisition that reshapes the landscape.

The more fragmented the ecosystem becomes, the more valuable neutral orchestration layers become.

The next competitive battle will be won at the intelligence layer

The Publicis-LiveRamp deal is a signal, not an anomaly. The intelligence layer is being consolidated. The only question is whether your enterprise is building one you own, or inheriting one someone else controls.

The companies that win will not be the ones most dependent on a single media or activation ecosystem. They will be the ones that own their customer graph, control their intelligence layer, and preserve the flexibility to orchestrate across whatever partners, channels, and AI systems the future brings.

In the AI era, the customer graph is becoming the operating system for enterprise decisioning.

**

This thought leadership piece is written by Tony Owens, CEO, Amperity.

The post The Publicis’ $3bn Liveramp deal signals shift in AI ‘Intelligence Layer’ ownership appeared first on MARKETECH APAC.

The deal values LiveRamp at a total enterprise value of $2.2 billion and strengthens Publicis Groupe’s position in data collaboration as it deepens its investment in technology, data, and AI services. The acquisition is expected to support higher long-term growth targets for net revenue and headline EPS.

With this acquisition, for a total enterprise value of $2.2 billion, the Groupe furtheres its investment in technology, data, and AI services to unlock new opportunities for the agentic era. In doing so, it will expand its addressable market, allowing it to raise its 2027-2028 objectives on net revenue and headline EPS growth at constant currency.

LiveRamp is a global data collaboration platform that enables companies to unify, manage, and activate data across the digital ecosystem. With LiveRamp, Publicis will become a leader in data co-creation, an important capability in the age of artificial intelligence and an enabler of agentic business transformation.

Interoperable by design, it connects over 25,000 publisher domains and 500+ technology and data partners across 14 markets, enabling collaboration across brands, retailers, media platforms, and data providers. It transforms fragmented data into unified, actionable data assets for activation and measurement.

With 1,300 employees and a recurring revenue model, LiveRamp has delivered a trailing five-year CAGR of 13%.

Under the terms of the agreement, Publicis will acquire LiveRamp at $38.50 per share, representing a $2.167 billion enterprise value and a $2.546 billion equity value, including net cash of $379 million. The offer represents a 29.8% premium to LiveRamp’s last closing price before the announcement.

The transaction is expected to be accretive to Publicis Groupe’s headline EPS from the first year of consolidation, excluding transaction costs. Publicis has also raised its 2027–2028 constant currency growth targets to +7% to +8% for net revenue and +8% to +10% for headline EPS, up from previous guidance.

The deal has been unanimously approved by both companies’ boards.

Following the acquisition, LiveRamp’s leadership and operating model will remain largely unchanged. 

According to the company, CEO Scott Howe will continue to lead the company and report directly to Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun. LiveRamp’s financials will be reported under Publicis’ Technology segment, alongside Publicis Sapient.

LiveRamp will continue to operate as a neutral, interoperable platform with open access across the ecosystem. No customer will be restricted from accessing or using its services.

The company also assured the public that they will maintain their existing commitments on data privacy, handling client, partner, and publisher data in line with contractual obligations and without extending usage beyond agreed terms. It will also continue standard commercial practices, with no changes to pricing outside normal business operations.

As part of Publicis, LiveRamp is expected to benefit from greater investment, scale, and expanded innovation capabilities while maintaining its neutrality and interoperability.

“We are thrilled to announce our agreement with Publicis, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for LiveRamp and all our stakeholders,” Howe said. “Our customers and partners have always been our North Star, and by joining forces with Publicis, we will have greater resources and flexibility to scale our business, continue innovating our platform, and help them unlock even greater value from their data.”

The transaction has been signed and is expected to close before year-end 2026, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals as well as other closing conditions.

“LiveRamp joining Publicis Groupe is the latest demonstration of our commitment to investing in new talent and innovation ahead of market shifts…By building the future of data co-creation, we’re empowering our clients to generate new, exclusive and proprietary data to build the smartest, most differentiated AI agents on top of the leading LLMs,” Sadoun said. 

“Beyond its technology platform, LiveRamp is a team of outstanding talent that we have had the opportunity to work closely with through our strategic partnership. We’re looking forward to welcoming them all to the Publicis family,” he added. 

The post LiveRamp to join Publicis Groupe in $2.2b data platform deal  appeared first on MARKETECH APAC.

The campaign centres on the idea that motherhood is often shared among multiple people, reflecting family structures where relatives, neighbours, and friends contribute to raising children alongside parents.

According to the company, the campaign reflects the realities faced by many Filipino families, including single-parent households, overseas workers, and blended family arrangements.

Ada Almendras-Lazaro, chief marketing officer at McDonald’s Philippines, said the campaign recognises changing family dynamics and broader interpretations of motherhood.

“Motherhood today is shaped by real-life demands and realities. There are single parents, overseas workers, and blended families—but beyond that, there are also people who choose to take on the role of a mother in both big and small ways. At McDonald’s, we want to recognize and celebrate everyone who helps raise a child,” she said.

The film also follows the story of a working mother and the network of people supporting her in raising her child. Scenes include relatives assisting with school routines, homework, and caregiving responsibilities.

Raoul Panes, chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe Philippines and Leo Manila, said the creative approach focused on depicting everyday acts of care.

“This film is a love letter to all mothers – and to everyone who steps into that role – showing up in ways big and small. We approached it with a lot of intention: curating each scene, each character, and the music to reflect the quiet, everyday acts of care we see all around us. Not grand or perfect – just present, consistent, and deeply human,” he said.

The campaign concludes with a scene showing a child asleep across the laps of several women who helped raise him, intended to represent collective caregiving within Filipino families.

Almendras-Lazaro added, “The story is told through familiar, everyday scenes because that’s where real motherhood lives. It’s in the people who step in, who stay, and who continue to show up.”

The post McDonald’s Philippines spotlights shared motherhood in ‘My Many Mothers’ campaign appeared first on MARKETECH APAC.

Following a competitive pitch process, the brewer has reappointed Dentsu as its agency for global media, while Publicis Groupe will continue serving as the global secondary production partner. The company also consolidated its global creative roster across three holding companies: Publicis Groupe, WPP, and Stagwell.

Creative responsibilities for the Heineken brand were not included in the review and will remain with Publicis Groupe.

The new structure is designed to support HEINEKEN’s global brands, including Amstel, Birra Moretti, Desperados, and Tiger Beer, as well as selected priority local power brands. According to the company, the streamlined roster aims to enable deeper collaboration with agency partners and improve consistency and scalability across markets.

The transition to the new agency model will begin immediately, with implementation taking place in phases aligned with brand planning cycles to maintain continuity and operational stability across markets.

The company said the move reflects its ongoing focus on long-term brand investment, marketing innovation, and building a more connected global marketing ecosystem.

“This marks a significant step in HEINEKEN’s EverGreen 2030 Growth Strategy and the ambition to build a more streamlined, effective, and future-fit agency model, designed to deliver greater creative impact, operational efficiency, and consistency at scale. Moving to fewer, better and bigger agency partners is part of our broader Freddyai Commercial transformation,” said Bram Westenbrink, Chief Commercial Officer HEINEKEN.

Jorn Socquet, Senior Director Global Brand Impact & Growth Transformation, HEINEKEN, added, “Our new agency ecosystem is a key enabler of our ambition to build stronger, more distinctive brands at scale. By partnering with a smaller number of world-class agencies, we are creating the conditions for deeper collaboration, sharper strategic focus, and more impactful creativity.

They added, “At the same time, this model allows us to operate with greater speed and efficiency, ensuring we can deliver high-quality work consistently across our global and local brand portfolio. We are grateful to all participating agencies for their commitment throughout this extensive process. The quality of thinking, creativity, and talent on display was exceptional.”

The post HEINEKEN appoints new global marketing agency roster following ecosystem review appeared first on MARKETECH APAC.

Launched globally, the film follows a daughter who leaves Hong Kong to study abroad, reflecting themes of separation, aspiration, and reconnection between family members—mirroring the emotional journeys often associated with air travel. The narrative underscores the tagline, “What takes us further, brings us closer together”, positioning it as a reflection of the airline’s long-standing relationship with its passengers.

Directed by David Tsui, the film also serves as a visual archive of Cathay’s brand evolution since 1946, with recreations of historical elements such as retro boarding passes, legacy uniforms, and past aircraft liveries developed in collaboration with Leo Hong Kong and Cathay’s archival teams. Subtle references, or “Easter eggs”, are embedded throughout, drawing on Hong Kong landmarks, aviation culture, and legacy brand motifs.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a short film that aims to celebrate the ups and downs Cathay has shared with its passengers throughout eight decades. The film is quiet and contemplative – an invitation to reflect on all the journeys that people take in their lives. We want to stir up something inside our viewers and remind them that the most meaningful journeys are the ones that bring you closer to the moments and people who matter most to you,” said Christopher Lee, Chief Creative Officer at Leo Hong Kong. 

Tsui added, “As a child, I vividly remember hearing the sound of aircraft flying low over Kowloon. I would always try to guess which airline it was – a memory that’s now captured in this film. I’ve been directing for 40 years, and I’ve always believed that the most powerful stories are the ones that feel lived-in. This one does. It’s not just about Cathay history; it’s about Hong Kong’s emotional memory. About how what takes us further can also bring us closer. This film is my thank-you letter to Cathay, the city, and to the enduring love between parents and children.” 

Cathay will roll out a year-long series of activations to mark its anniversary, including heritage-inspired aircraft liveries, retro uniform collections, and curated merchandise reflecting different eras of its history.

“As Cathay marks its 80th anniversary, it is a moment to reflect on the role the brand has played in people’s lives across generations. For eight decades, Cathay has connected people to what matters most – family, friends, opportunities, and aspirations – supporting them through every stage of their life journey. This milestone is also a tribute to Hong Kong and its people, whose spirit and history are inseparable from Cathay’s own legacy,” said Edward Bell, General Manager Brand, Insights and Marketing Communications at Cathay. 

The post Cathay reflects on 80-year journey through passenger stories in anniversary film appeared first on MARKETECH APAC.

Originally from Australia, Turner brings two decades of experience at the intersection of emerging technologies and creative practice, with a focus on bridging art and engineering. His background spans agency, client and production environments, with work delivered across markets including Saudi Arabia, Istanbul and Shanghai.

He began his career in electronic media education before moving into interactive and digital advertising, with experience in areas such as video game and app development, UX, coding and experiential design. In 2023, he joined Chanel in Hong Kong as Innovation Technologist APAC, following his stint at Sydney-based design and technology company T&DA.

In his new role, Turner will work closely with creative teams to develop client work while advancing the use of AI and scaling innovation across the Groupe.

He will report to Christopher Lee, Chief Creative Officer at Publicis Groupe Hong Kong, and Tom Kao, Chief Executive Officer at Publicis Groupe Hong Kong.

“Rhys is here to supercharge our fluency in data, tech, AI and more. We’re not just looking to Rhys to create innovative commercial solutions for our clients but to apply his love for art and code as well as his curiosity to always make things smarter across all disciplines at Publicis Groupe in Hong Kong,” Christopher commented. 

Tom added, “We look forward to the impact that Rhys will bring, pushing cutting-edge tech and AI-led creativity and amplifying the chemistry between creative, media, data, tech, and production. Creative tech is becoming more than just a discipline that drives creative campaigns – it’s also becoming the glue that connects people from various backgrounds to help shape talent in this age of AI, with the ambition to keep raising the bar.”

Turner also becomes part of Publicis Groupe APAC’s Creative Tech Collective, a regional network comprising more than 20 creative technologists and around 200 innovation specialists, led by Laurent Thevenet, Head of Creative Technology, APAC.

Speaking about his role, Rhys said, “The fun part of being a creative technologist is constantly experimenting with tools and technologies and then acting as an informant to agencies, suggesting fresh approaches for everything from strategy to ideation and execution. Publicis Groupe Hong Kong is enjoying huge momentum, and I’m excited to be part of its evolution.” 

The post Publicis Groupe Hong Kong appoints Rhys Turner as Head of Creative Technology appeared first on MARKETECH APAC.

Backed by the Singapore Economic Development Board, the hub will build proprietary tools spanning data, identity, media, and content—areas increasingly seen as the plumbing of modern advertising rather than its gloss.

The French group has spent years laying the groundwork. Its 2025 acquisition of Lotame, combined with Epsilon’s assets, expanded its identity graph to nearly 4 billion individuals—roughly 90% of global consumers. 

The new hub is meant to turn that data heft into working systems. 

Engineers, creatives, strategists, and product teams will sit side by side, building tools that can be deployed across markets where consumer behaviour shifts as quickly as mobile data speeds.

The move comes as AI adoption across Southeast Asia gathers pace. A 2026 survey by the Singapore Economic Development Board and McKinsey & Company found 73% of companies in the region are already piloting or scaling AI, compared with 57% globally. 

Publicis says the hub’s tools could cut manual campaign work by 20–30%. 

Beyond efficiency, the bet is also on talent. The hub will create roles across engineering, data science, and design, while working with local universities to build a pipeline of AI-trained graduates. 

“AI is reshaping the marketing industry, but real transformation only happens when technology, data and talent evolve together,” said Sapna Nemani, Chief Solutions Officer at Publicis Groupe APAC. “The future of marketing will be built on intelligent identity, understanding audiences in deeper, privacy-safe ways and activating those insights across the entire ecosystem. Our focus is on making AI practical, secure and scalable for our teams and our clients.”

Amrita Randhawa, CEO of Publicis Groupe Singapore and Southeast Asia, struck a similar note. 

“There is a real sense of pride and responsibility in building this in Singapore. We are not just adopting AI, we are shaping how it is used in a way that is trusted, responsible and grounded in strong fundamentals. Just as importantly, we are creating opportunities for talent here to step into new roles and build skills that will define the future of our industry,” she said.

Junie Fo, Vice President and Head of Professional Services at the Singapore Economic Development Board, pointed to the broader play. 

“Publicis Groupe APAC’s AI Development Hub supports Singapore’s ongoin efforts to build a vibrant hub for AI innovation and adoption. This initiative will allow Publicis Groupe to develop advanced AI capabilities across data analytics, identity management, media optimisation, and content creation to serve both Singapore-based and global enterprises. We are excited about the next-generation marketing solutions the hub will create, alongside the pipeline of AI-ready talent it will build, strengthening Singapore’s position as a trusted base for the professional services sector,” she said.

The post Publicis Groupe anchors Singapore AI hub to power regional marketing shift appeared first on MARKETECH APAC.

In the recent earnings call for Publicis Groupe’s for Q1 2026, Arthur Sadoun, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer stated that every vendor is audited by PwC, and that they pass the audit to our clients. In this case, Ebiquity ran the audit and that they found that The Trade Desk did not pass it.

“The only thing we have done, and that we will always do, is that we have informed our clients of the finding, as we believe it is our responsibility, and it is our responsibility,” he said.

Moreover, he noted that they have no intention to build a competitive offer to The Trade Desk, as they want to keep in their position as an advertising holding company.

“We don’t have any competing offer when it comes to self-serve DSP product that could be a direct competitor to The Trade Desk, and we are not planning to build any,” he added.

When asked by an analyst why Publicis Groupe isn’t planning to create its own DSP despite having data marketing firm Epsilon in its portfolio, Arthur said that while they will see some growth over its clients using Epsilon, it is not a priority for them to accelerate in principal media.

“Our number one priority is to build product and services that can help our client growth in this AI world. It’s not by building another platform that we’re going to help our client more. It’s about connecting our capabilities. It’s about bringing new capabilities in place,” he explained.

It should be recalled that The Trade Desk had denied failing the audit, with a spokesperson telling MARKETECH APAC that as a platform that strives to be ‘transparent’ in the industry, their reporting and billing processes are supported by an independent SOC 1 compliance.

“In this case, the request included asks for data that would violate customer and partner confidentiality agreements. We look forward to working with Publicis to provide workable alternatives to this particular request, including information at an even more granular level than requested,” the spokesperson said.

In the same earnings call, moreover, Arthur commented on Publicis Groupe’s recent win of Microsoft’s media pitch, as well as the extension of their strategic partnership since the co-creation of the AI pltaform Marcel in 2016.

“I think what you should take out of this partnership is that it started by us sitting down with Microsoft and looking at how we can offer to our common clients an agentic solution. We have seen how well our capabilities were fitting together. The second reaction of Microsoft was to say, “This looks great. Let’s put it on Microsoft as client zero.” This is why we have been honoured and lucky to start the relationship with them,” he said.

As part of this partnership, Publicis is putting Microsoft 365 Copilot in the hands of all 114,000+ employees worldwide. They have also selected Microsoft Azure as a preferred cloud provider. 

By working with Microsoft, which offers the most scalable and secure cloud and AI platform in the industry, Publicis is strengthening its ability to deliver personalization at scale and expanding Marcel’s role from pioneering AI in marketing to powering the next generation of enterprisewide AI. 

The post Publicis Groupe speaks out following The Trade Desk audit ‘fallout’, no plans to create rival self-serve DSP appeared first on MARKETECH APAC.

The deal folds 160over90 into Publicis Sports, plugging it into the group’s Epsilon data spine and media buying heft. The aim is clear: turn sport into a measurable, end-to-end channel, not just a branding exercise.

160over90, currently part of WME Group, brings more than 670 staff across the US, UK, EMEA, and APAC. 

Its portfolio spans blue-chip campaigns at the Super Bowl, the Olympic Games, and the FIFA World Cup—properties that still command mass audiences in an era of fractured media.

Publicis is positioning the combined unit as a single system. Media, sponsorship, content, creators, and commerce—stitched together, measured, and sold as one. 

Data sits at the centre, with Epsilon’s identity tools expected to track audiences across channels and markets.

Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis Groupe, said,  “After building our industry-leading position in identity resolution, commerce, and creators, our next big bet is sport. In the age of AI, it has become one of the most high-value channels for clients, delivering unparalleled cultural relevance, live engagement, and measurable impact.”

He added, “By combining 160over90’s scale and expertise in sports experiences, culture, and talent with the industry’s most powerful connected influencer platform, experiential capabilities, and data-driven insights, we are disrupting a highly fragmented landscape by creating a unified, end-to-end platform that connects brands to fans in ways that are both meaningful and measurable.”

Beyond the deal, Publicis is also tightening ties with WME Group. 

A strategic partnership will give it earlier access to talent, intellectual property, and content opportunities—an area where agencies increasingly compete with studios and platforms.

Dave Penski, CEO of Publicis Connected Media, said, “Sport has become the most powerful intersection of culture, commerce and community. As brands invest more in the space, Publicis Groupe and 160over90 are uniquely positioned to advance and integrate sports marketing as an addressable and measurable channel, not just across media, but sponsorships, talent, and live activations.”

Mark Shapiro, President and Managing Partner of WME Group, said, “160over90 has earned its reputation as a trusted partner to many of the world’s most influential brands, consistently delivering unique experiences and valuable partnerships on the biggest stages in sports. Combining forces with Publicis Sports will create an unmatched offering for brands looking to move faster and create deeper connections with sports fans, properties, and content.”

He added, “Additionally, WME Group’s new collaboration with Publicis Groupe will deliver more opportunities for our talent and partners to realize their business ambitions at scale.”

Within the new structure, Publicis Sports will sit under PMX, with Suzy Deering continuing as CEO. Robbie Henchman will remain at WME Group, overseeing brand representation and the partnership with Publicis.

The post Publicis Groupe to acquire 160over90 in push to scale data-led sports marketing platform appeared first on MARKETECH APAC.

Publicis Luxe China is connected to the Publicis Luxe hubs in Paris and New York, giving the China practice access to a global network of more than 2,000 specialists working on luxury brands across strategy, media, creativity, data, and technology. The practice operates as an integrated offering spanning strategic consulting, brand experience, content, and media execution, aimed at supporting luxury brands in the Chinese market.

In his new role, Leclerc joins the Groupe’s global luxury practice, where he will work across international and local teams on luxury brand strategy and market development in China.

Leclerc reports to Mickey Zhang, president of Publicis Media China. A native of France, he has spent 14 years with Publicis Groupe, including a decade in China, where he previously held leadership roles at Starcom China, including head of strategy and transformation.

“The Chinese luxury market is undergoing a pivotal shift, from scale-driven growth to culturally rooted growth. Over the past decade, Marc has supported numerous brands through market cycles in China, seamlessly combining his European luxury heritage with on-the-ground market expertise,” Zhang said. 

“I am confident that under his leadership, Publicis Luxe China will become a trusted ‘cultural partner’ for brands helping luxury houses find their voice within the Chinese context, while ensuring that local narratives become an integral part of their global narrative,” he added. 

As head of Publicis Luxe China, Leclerc will work with teams across the group’s capabilities in China, covering strategy, creative, media, and data, as the company continues to expand its luxury offering in the market.

Commenting on his new role, Leclerc said, “Over the past decade, I have witnessed a profound evolution in how Chinese consumers perceive luxury. Today, luxury marketing is no longer about fragmented campaigns but about designing immersive experiences grounded in cultural understanding and data insights.”

He continued, “I am honoured to bring together the global resources of Publicis Luxe, insights drawn from 2.3 billion consumers worldwide through Publicis Groupe’s combined data and identity assets, and the expertise of our local teams in China to offer clients a brain trust and execution engine, partnering with brands to drive sustainable growth and write the next chapter of their legacy.” 

The post Publicis Groupe strengthens China luxury push with expanded ‘Publicis Luxe’ unit, names Marc Leclerc as head appeared first on MARKETECH APAC.