Omnicom Group Inc., the parent company of PR firm Porter/Novelli,
purchased a 20-percent stake in high-tech PR firm A Plus Group,
London.
A Plus will oversee Omnicom's high-tech PR practice in Europe,
working closely with Porter/Novelli's high-tech PR arm, Brodeur &
Partners. That firm's leader, John Brodeur, joins the strategy board
of A Plus, which reports annual fee billings of about $5 million.
Mike Copland, managing director of A Plus, said the firm is
considering opening one or more offices in the Asia-Pacific region.
While there are no solid plans, he said this could happen in concert
with other Omnicom PR agencies.
The investment in A Plus is the second major PR deal in recent
months for Omnicom, which in January announced plans to purchase
Ketchum Communications, including Ketchum Public Relations, the
world's sixth-largest PR firm. (Omnicom, 212/415-3769; A Plus, 011-
44-1-753-790-700)