Press Release

PHILIP GEIER ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM INTERPUBLIC BOARD AND CHAIRMAN POST

NEW YORK, Dec. 15, 2000 — Philip H. Geier, Jr., Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Office of The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE: IPG), today announced his decision to step down both as Chairman of Interpublic and as a member of the Interpublic Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2001.

As previously announced last March, John J. Dooner, President and Chief Operating Officer of Interpublic, will succeed Mr. Geier as Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2001. Mr. Dooner will also assume the title of Chairman of the Board.

Mr. Geier, who has been Chairman and CEO for more than two decades, will continue his involvement with the Company as Chairman Emeritus and as an advisor to Mr. Dooner and to the Interpublic Board.

Mr. Geier said: "John and I have worked together closely for many years. I feel confident that I am leaving our employees, clients and shareholders in great hands. He and the Board know that they can count on me to help in any way that I can with counsel and I will continue to be available on certain specific assignments, as well as with certain clients. For my part, I've spent the last 20 years building a strong management team, led now by John Dooner. We have completed nine months of transition work and I am confident the corporation is in very solid hands."

Mr. Geier, 65, has been Interpublic's Chairman and CEO since January 1, 1980. Named by Advertising Age as one of the "Top 100" most influential people in advertising in the Twentieth Century, Mr. Geier first joined Interpublic's McCann-Erickson in Cleveland as a trainee in 1958. In little more than a decade, he rose to become Chairman of McCann-Erickson London and then Executive Vice President and Regional Director of McCann-Erickson Europe from 1971-1975. He became Vice Chairman of Interpublic in 1975, President and Chief Operating Officer in 1977 and Chairman and CEO on January 1, 1980.

The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. is one of the largest organizations of marketing communications and marketing service companies. Its major worldwide company brands include McCann-Erickson WorldGroup, The Lowe Group, DraftWorldwide, Initiative Media Worldwide, Octagon, NFO Worldwide and The Allied Communications Group. The shares of The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (IPG). For further information visit: www.interpublic.com.