Publicis Groupe Announces Chief Revenue Officer’s Sabbatical To Deal With Family Health Issue

Regulatory News:

Publicis Groupe (Paris:PUB) [Euronext Paris: FR0000130577, CAC 40] announced today that Laura Desmond, Chief Revenue Officer, Publicis Groupe, will be taking a six-month sabbatical starting July 1, 2016, in order for her to focus her full attention on a significant family health issue. Desmond plans to return to Publicis Groupe on January 1, 2017.

"Laura has been dedicated to Publicis Groupe for her entire career, successfully driving transformation, growth and impact for the Groupe and its clients,” says Maurice Levy, Chairman & CEO, Publicis Groupe. "We fully support her taking this needed time to support her family and look forward to her return at the start of next year.”

In the interim, Desmond’s responsibilities will be coordinated by Rishad Tobaccowala, Chief Strategist, Publicis Groupe. Over the next weeks, Desmond will be working closely with leadership to ensure an orderly transition for this interim period.

"People know how committed I am to my profession and career, but family really does come first. I’m very grateful to Maurice Levy and Publicis Groupe for being the kind of organization that supports people taking time to deal with challenging times. It's a priority for me to be there for my family for the next six months, and then rejoining Publicis Groupe at the beginning of next year,” says Desmond.

Appointed Chief Revenue Officer in December 2015, Desmond is responsible for developing strategies that catalyze Groupe transformation and business transformation through the alchemy of creativity and technology. In addition, she leads the Groupe’s Chief Client Officers, simplifying and accelerating the way clients access communications and marketing technology solutions across Publicis Groupe with the concept of Power of One. Prior to her current role, Desmond served as Global CEO of Starcom Mediavest Group, more than doubling its size and nurturing relationships with the world’s biggest marketers including Samsung, Procter & Gamble, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, Visa as well as new establishment brands such as Airbnb and Twitter.

About Publicis Groupe - The Power of One

Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in marketing, communication, and digital transformation. Active across the entire value chain, from consulting to creation, and production, Publicis Groupe offers its clients a transversal, unified and fluid model allowing them access to all the Groupe’s tools and expertise around the world. Publicis Groupe is organized across four Solutions hubs: Publicis Communications, Publicis Media, Publicis.Sapient and Publicis Health. These 4 Solutions hubs operate across principal markets, and are carried across all others by Publicis One. Publicis One is a fully-integrated services offering making the Groupe’s expertise available to all clients, under one roof. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs nearly 80 000 professionals.

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