Press Release

NEW YORK, Jan 06, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Earlier today, Mark Rosenthal, Chairman and Chief Executive of Interpublic Media, the media operation of The Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), announced the appointment of Terri M. Santisi as Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Santisi is a recognized leader in the media and entertainment field, with an outstanding record of achievement in financial management, strategic business development and business risk assessment. She has extensive experience in assisting media and entertainment companies manage complex global financial and operational needs. During her 20-year career, Ms. Santisi served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of EMI Music North America and Chief Financial Officer of EMI Music Publishing Worldwide. Most recently she led the media and entertainment practice of the global financial and accounting firm KPMG LLP.

Ms. Santisi will lead all financial operations for Interpublic Media, which oversees Interpublic's worldwide media operations, including Initiative, MAGNA Global, Universal McCann, and a number of leading specialist media agencies, with capabilities that range from programming and content development to interactive, retail and media barter. She will be based in New York and report to Mark Rosenthal and Frank Mergenthaler, Chief Financial Officer of The Interpublic Group.

"We are pleased to have Terri join our team," said Mr. Rosenthal. "She has the financial acumen, savvy management style and in-depth media and entertainment expertise to effectively lead the financial operations at Interpublic Media. Her appointment is an important step in bringing Interpublic's media assets together to shape and deliver the next generation media offering. She is a strong addition to the senior management charged with creating our new media offering." According to Mr. Mergenthaler, "Terri's strong experience will complement the existing financial structure at Interpublic."

"This is a unique opportunity," said Ms. Santisi. "I am delighted to be part of a dynamic management team and support a superb organization through its next phase of growth. Few organizations rival Interpublic's creative capabilities, research strength and buying power, and I look forward to working with the team in leveraging these assets in order to create rewarding new opportunities for our clients."

Prior to joining Interpublic Media, Ms. Santisi was managing partner of the Media and Entertainment practice at KPMG LLP in New York. In that role, she served leading industry clients such as Apple Computer, NBC-Universal, Time Warner, The Walt Disney Company and Warner Music Group, and led strategic advisory projects with a focus on digital content delivery and risk management projects including Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. Her deep experience in media and entertainment combined with strong business and financial acumen allowed Ms. Santisi to help her clients successfully balance the need for rigorous financial controls while preserving their creative identities.

Prior to KPMG, Ms. Santisi held senior positions with EMI Group PLC, one of the largest music companies in the world. As Executive Vice President and General Manager of EMI-Capitol Music Group, North America, she directed strategy and operations for nine North American record labels with $800 million in revenues. She led EMI's sales, marketing and distribution operations and oversaw the company's manufacturing organization. During her five years with the company, Ms. Santisi restructured EMI's Music Sales and Distribution division, significantly reducing costs while developing a strong consumer focus and greater responsiveness to local market opportunities. Ms. Santisi began her career at Ernst & Young in New York. As partner and media industry group leader, she provided strategic business and financial advice to senior executives of Fortune 500 companies and played a major role in the acquisition strategy of music and print publishing companies by leading media industry conglomerates.

Ms Santisi has been an active participant in the World Economic Forum where she served as Media & Entertainment Governor for the past three years. A recognized thought leader, she has authored many white papers on issues including The Changing Advertising Landscape, The Intellectual Property Dilemma and The Value Creation Challenge. Ms. Santisi was recognized as one of the "Fifty Most Powerful Women in the Entertainment Industry" by The Hollywood Reporter and was a recipient of the Leadership in Action Award by the Women's Action Alliance. In addition, she serves on the board of directors of New York Outward Bound and is chairperson of the finance committee. Ms. Santisi graduated magna cum laude from Boston College where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting.

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, FutureBrand, GolinHarris International, Initiative, Jack Morton Worldwide, Lowe Worldwide, MAGNA Global, McCann Erickson, Octagon, Universal McCann and Weber Shandwick. Leading domestic brands include Campbell-Ewald, Deutsch and Hill Holliday.

SOURCE: Interpublic Media

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