Press Release

NEW YORK, Aug 05, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG) announced today that it has hired Nick Brien to serve as Chief Executive Officer and President of Universal McCann. Mr. Brien, 43, comes to Interpublic after a long career at Publicis Groupe's Leo Burnett and Starcom, where he played key roles in shaping and leading those companies' media, advertising and integrated marketing offerings. Brien will be based in New York and will report to Mark Rosenthal, the recently-appointed Chairman and CEO of Interpublic's media operations. Murray Dudgeon, who had taken on the CEO role at Universal McCann on an interim basis, will remain with the company in his role as Chief Operating Officer.

"Nick Brien is more than just a top-tier international media executive," said Mr. Rosenthal. "He brings a unique breadth of experience, having also led an ad agency and a multi-disciplinary marketing services firm. He's known as a passionate client partner who understands the big picture and the growing need to build brands with fully-integrated media solutions. His extensive experience in the media and marketing arena, as well as his strategic and operational skills, will be a major asset. He'll be an incredible partner for me and a great collaborator with John Dooner and the leadership of McCann Worldgroup."

"Nick is a terrific talent and a dynamic executive," said McCann Worldgroup Chairman and CEO, John Dooner. "He is absolutely the right person to lead Universal McCann forward as part of the next generation media offering Mark Rosenthal is creating. Plus with his unique background encompassing both media and marketing communications, he provides UM with the ideal complementary link to Worldgroup's full set of capabilities."

Brien has more than two decades of experience in the industry. Since February of 2004, he served as CEO of Arc Worldwide, the main umbrella marketing services brand of Publicis Groupe. Arc Worldwide is the global combination of four entities: Arc Marketing, Frankel, iLeo and Semaphore Partners. Under Brien's leadership, Arc Worldwide won significant new business, as well as top creative recognition in major industry competitions.

Prior to his role at Arc, Brien was President of Corporate Business Development for Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG). At Starcom, he pioneered innovative ways to engage consumers and create relevant brand experiences. On his watch, Starcom launched a full portfolio of specialized marketing communications companies. He also established SMG Diversified Services which was comprised of various specialized communications companies, supplemented by a number of key strategic alliances. He was the catalyst in positioning SMG as the leader in marketing communications strategy and was responsible for ensuring that SMG's diversified capabilities maximized its clients' marketing effectiveness.

Before joining SMG, Brien was CEO of Leo Burnett London, where he expanded the agency's integrated marketing offerings and significantly raised creative standards. Under his leadership, the London office of Leo Burnett was named the world's most creative agency by The Gunn Report and was the most awarded agency in the film category at Cannes. He first joined Leo Burnett London in 1992 as Media Director. He began his career at Grey London and then worked at WCRS.

About Universal McCann

Universal McCann is one of the world's largest media service firms providing strategic services and consultancies in the areas of traditional and non-traditional media planning and buying, communications architecture, digital technologies, research and modeling.

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: The Interpublic Group of Companies

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