Omnicom-Interpublic Buy Cleared by UK Regulator

Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has this week cleared the ad industry mega-merger between Omnicom and Interpublic, opting not to refer the deal to an in-depth phase 2 probe.

Omnicom agreed last December to pay around $13.25 billion in shares to acquire The Interpublic Group, creating the world's largest agency group, with more than 100,000 staff and combined revenue (2023) of $25.6bn, 57% of it from business in the US.

The CMA launched the phase 1 probe in June, assessing whether the deal could lead to a reduction in competition in the UK market. In the US, the FTC cleared the merger in June, with the condition that the new company will not enter agreements with third parties to direct advertising dollars towards or away from publishers based on their political stance.

The two agencies, who have not commented on the CMA's decision, are online at www.omnicomgroup.com and www.interpublic.com .