Press Release

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 23, 2005--The Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) announced today that it had named Steve Centrillo Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer, reporting to Chairman and CEO Michael Roth. In this role, Mr. Centrillo will be charged with building on Interpublic's recent success in promoting collaboration among its agencies and in improving the company's organic growth performance. Centrillo comes to Interpublic from Grey Global Group, where he had been Executive Vice President and Managing Partner of darkGrey, an integrated communications unit dedicated to technology and telecommunications clients, as well as Chief Operating Officer of Grey Worldwide Atlanta. Kevin Allen, who had served as Interpublic's first Chief Growth Officer since May of 2003, is relocating to London, where he will focus on European business development initiatives.

"Organic revenue must remain a top priority for all of our companies," said Mr. Roth. "We have a range of exceptional agency brands across all the marketing disciplines. The challenge for Interpublic is to continue to support and connect these brands so as to deliver a compelling offering to both existing and prospective clients. Steve will be a terrific addition - he's a proven business development executive, has run major accounts across a range of business categories and understands the type of integrated communications programs that clients increasingly want and need."

"I am very excited about working with Michael to take Interpublic's growth program to another level and I look forward to making a contribution to the turnaround that he is in the process of leading," said Mr. Centrillo. "I've had the pleasure of experiencing the industry from various perspectives, from small creative agencies to large global networks. More recently, I played a central role in launching darkGrey, an agency-within-an-agency that seeks to deliver leading-edge integrated marketing programs for clients in dynamic, technology-driven industries. As a result of these experiences, there are three fundamental beliefs I see as critical to our future success: that communications must be media neutral, that planning and strategic insight must play a critical role in the process and that clients benefit from having a single point of contact for true integration to work. This new position at Interpublic gives me a unique opportunity to put these ideas to work. I look forward to partnering with the many great agencies within the group and to building on the work Kevin Allen has begun."

Prior to his tenure at darkGrey, which handles accounts such as BellSouth, Unisys and Oracle, Mr.Centrillo was a Global Account Director at McCann-Erickson in New York, working on the Motorola, Interbrew and Aon businesses, as well as a number of other technology clients. Before joining McCann in 1998, he led the pitch for and subsequently ran the Bell Atlantic NYNEX mobile account, where he led cross-functional agency teams in disciplines ranging from direct and retail marketing to promotions, production and traffic.

From 1988 to 1995, Mr. Centrillo was at Bozell, Minneapolis, where he ran half of the agency's accounts, across a range of packaged goods and other product categories. Previously, he had been at Bozell New York and SSC&B Lintas in account management roles.

About Interpublic

Interpublic is one of the world's leading organizations of advertising agencies and marketing-services companies. Major global brands include Draft, Foote Cone & Belding Worldwide, GolinHarris International, Initiative, Jack Morton Worldwide, Lowe & Partners Worldwide, MAGNA Global, McCann Erickson, Octagon, Universal McCann and Weber Shandwick. Leading domestic brands include Campbell-Ewald, Deutsch and Hill Holliday.

CONTACT: The Interpublic Group
General Inquiries:
Julie Tu, 212-827-3776
or
Media, Analysts, Investors:
Philippe Krakowsky, 212-704-1328
or
Analysts, Investors:
Jerry Leshne, 212-704-1439

SOURCE: The Interpublic Group