Press Release

Ira Carlin Named Worldwide Chairman; Hans Germeraad to Head Magna Global Europe

New York -- The Interpublic Group (NYSE:IPG) today announced two senior appointments within its Magna Global media negotiation unit. They are: Ira Carlin, 54, who moves from his role as Chairman and CEO of Universal McCann to the newly-created post of Worldwide Chairman of Magna Global; and Hans Germeraad, 45, who is leaving his post as Chief Operating Officer EMEA at The MediaEdge:CIA to assume the new position of Regional Director, Magna Global Europe.

“The Magna model is taking hold across a number of major advertising markets,” said John J. Dooner, Jr., Interpublic's Chairman and CEO. “As a negotiating company, it delivers maximum clout for those buying agencies that participate, while allowing each agency and its clients to retain their proprietary buying and planning tools. In light of Magna's progress to date, it's clearly time to bring additional senior leadership on board. I've known and worked with Ira for years and can't think of anyone better suited to helping develop Magna Global internationally. Hans spent a decade at Initiative Media, where he grew into a respected force in the European media scene. He will play a key role in growing Magna in that region.”

Mr. Dooner added that, “Bill Cella and his team are doing a terrific job building Magna Global in the United States. Hans will be charged with doing the same in Europe, while Ira manages Magna Global's international expansion and ensures that the benefits of the Magna model are delivered in every market to our major multinational clients. Like Bill, Ira and Hans are both outstanding media executives and agency managers who understand clients' needs in the evolving media environment.”

Mr. Carlin was most recently Chairman and CEO of Universal McCann, the media arm of McCann-Erickson, which last year managed $18 billion in billings for clients in over 130 countries. In this role, Carlin developed and oversaw media and business strategies for leading multinational marketers. He also served on McCann-Erickson's Worldwide Management Board and was a member of the Board of Directors of both McCann WorldGroup and Magna Global. Carlin is a noted industry leader on the subject of new technologies as they relate to the future of media and marketing. He began his advertising career at Grey Advertising in 1971, moved toThe Marschalk Company (an Interpublic agency) in 1974, then to Interpublic, where he was Director of Media Systems in 1981 and to McCann-Erickson as New York Media Director in 1983.

Mr. Germeraad comes to Magna Global from The Media Edge:CIA, where he was Chief Operating Officer for the Europe, Middle East, Africa region. Previous to that, he was a Partner at Interactive Marketing Partner and the Chief Operating Officer for Germany, as well as Central and Eastern Europe at HMS & Carat. From 1987 to 1997, he served in increasingly senior roles within Initiative Media, heading offices in the Netherlands, Hamburg and Paris. He has been guest lecturer at leading European universities and schools of business administration and is the author of a number of articles concerning the future of media.

Interpublic Group is among the world's largest advertising and marketing services organizations. Its four global operating groups are the McCann-Erickson WorldGroup, The Partnership, FCB Group and Advanced Marketing Services. Major brands include Draft Worldwide, Deutsch, Foote Cone & Belding Worldwide, Golin/Harris International, Initiative Media, Jack Morton Worldwide, Lowe & Partners Worldwide, McCann-Erickson Advertising, NFO WorldGroup, Octagon, Universal McCann and Weber Shandwick.