Sanjay Rammoorthy: The ripple effects of the Omnicom–IPG consolidation on Indian agencies

On Monday this week, Omnicom, one of the world’s leading marketing and sales companies,  announced its strategy and executive leadership for "the go-forward organisation, following the historic completion of its acquisition of Interpublic on November 26, 2025. "

Under this, globally, Chris Foster, is CEO, Omnicom Public Relations, including FleishmanHillard, Golin, Ketchum, Porter Novelli, and Weber Shandwick . In India, Weber Shandwick, the merged Ketchum Sampark -Fleishman entities, and Golin will be impacted. 

Financial Times has reported that  Omnicom Group would cut over 4000 jobs globally as part of the IPG integration, and that would mainly "affect administrative roles and certain leadership positions."

Former Ketchum -Sampark staffer Sanjay Rammoorthy decodes the impact of the integration.

The Omnicom–IPG Consolidation: India Becomes the Battleground for Global PR Power

The recent Omnicom–IPG consolidation is not just another corporate merger — it is the most consequential reshaping of global marketing and communications in two decades. And India, the fastest-growing communications market worldwide, sits squarely at the epicentre of its impact.

For the first time, two holding groups with decades-long investments in India will merge portfolios, talent pools, data stacks, and sectoral strengths. The result is not merely scale, but a new competitive architecture that forces India’s entire communications industry to recalibrate.

Why India Matters

• India is no longer a peripheral market in global restructuring.
• It is one of the fastest-growing revenue zones across PR, creative, digital, healthcare, and media.
• The merger brings together powerhouse agencies — Weber Shandwick, Golin, Ketchum, FleishmanHillard, DDB Mudra, BBDO, McCann, IPG Mediabrands, and Omnicom Media Group — under one umbrella.

This marks the end of iconic brands like Lintas, which served Levers for over 7 decades, Indian grown Mudra (DDB) and FCB Ulka, which has been the darling for Indian clients for years. This also marks the end of the legacy of luminaries like the late Alyque Padamsee (Lintas), AG. Krishnamurthi (Mudra) and Ambi Parmaswaran (Ulka).

This concentration of global firepower will trigger immediate questions around consolidation of operations, leadership alignments, P&L restructuring, and divestments where overlaps are too dense.

Four Structural Shifts

1. Market Concentration & Agency Realignment

Unprecedented consolidation of PR powerhouses will force portfolio pruning and leadership restructuring. Domestic clients in BFSI, tech, FMCG, and healthcare will reassess mandates, especially where competitive brands are managed under the same roof.

2. Accelerated Shift to Integrated Communications

The combined entity will turbocharge integrated offerings — earned, digital, influencer, analytics, and reputation risk — under a single commercial structure. Indian PR firms must evolve beyond press relations into data-driven, multi-platform storytelling or risk irrelevance.

3. Talent Flux & Leadership Compression

Senior leadership overlaps will spark exits at VP–EVP levels, with talent migrating to independents or launching boutique consultancies. Meanwhile, demand for analytics, digital strategy, crisis consulting, and public affairs expertise will surge — raising the talent bar across the industry.

4. Golden Era for Independent Agencies

Conflict-heavy portfolios will push clients toward agile, conflict-free independent agencies across the spectrum of Public Relations, Creative, Digital and Media Buying. Firms with strong practices in corporate reputation, startup ecosystems, or integrated digital will thrive.

Competitive Ripple Effect

• WPP, Publicis, and Havas will respond aggressively — through acquisitions, integration moves, or pricing shifts — to retain share in India.
• Expect the most accelerated phase of M&A activity in a decade.
• Independent agencies will gain market share as clients seek neutrality and high-touch counsel.

Talent & Job Security

Globally, IPG disclosed 3,200 job losses this year, while Omnicom announced 4,000 cuts. India’s redundancy numbers are yet to emerge, but given the scale of overlap, they will be significant. For professionals, this is a double-edged sword: leadership compression on one hand, but rising demand for specialised talent on the other.

Bottom Line

The Omnicom–IPG consolidation is the most disruptive event Indian public relations has seen in years. It compresses the market, elevates expectations of scale and sophistication, and sets a new bar for how global networks must operate in an economy where growth, digital adoption, and storytelling complexity continue to surge.

The days to come will redefine the communication landscape. Brands will perish, Brands will thrive, and Brands will be born. India is no longer just a participant in global PR restructuring — it is the battleground where the future of communications will be defined.

Sanjay Rammoorthy is a veteran communications and a former Ketchum Sampark staffer.