Publicis Groupe: Supervisory Board of November, 27th 2012

PARIS, November 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

The Supervisory Board of Publicis Groupe [EURONEXT Paris: FR0000130577] chaired by Elisabeth Badinter met on November 27, 2012. The Board examined the Groupe's third quarter numbers (revenues were already published) as well as October financial statements and found them satisfactory. The Board noted the work underway for the closing of the year 2012, and that the 2013 budget was still a work in progress. 

The Supervisory Board also decided to submit to the Extraordinary General Assembly of shareholders, which will take place in the first half of 2013, a proposal to modify the bylaws, in order to reduce the duration of the mandates of members of the Supervisory Board to four years. Shareholders will additionally be consulted regarding the remuneration of the principal directors, as previously done, to everyone's satisfaction, regarding the deferred compensation of the CEO and Chair of the Management Board. The Groupe's dividend policy will evolve progressively in order to gradually raise over the coming years the pay-out ratio to a level closer to the industry average of roughly 35%, with due regard to investment programs and the economic and social situation.

Finally, the Board wished to express its unanimous and enthusiastic thanks to Jack Klues, who has decided to end his service to the Groupe at the end of 2012, placing his mandates as a member of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of VivaKi at the disposal of the Supervisory Board. The Board accepted with regret his request to retire, and thanked him for his strong commitment and contribution to the Groupe's success. Elisabeth Badinter spoke warmly of Mr. Klues' personal and professional qualities and his unsparing efforts to make the media and digital transformation of Publicis Groupe a complete success.

Mr. Klues' departure from the Management Board will take effect on December 31, 2012. However, at the request of Maurice Lévy, Mr. Klues will remain within the Groupe for the first half of 2013 in order to help the transition of the re-organization of VivaKi and position it as a business unit open to the market, as was announced in early November.

"Jack has been a driving force ever since he joined our Groupe, and we're all familiar with his success," said Maurice Lévy, Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe. "I've been able to build a relationship of trust and friendship with Jack, and together we have worked closely to develop VivaKi. Thanks to Jack's vision of our profession and his tireless work, Publicis Groupe's media offering and digital production have risen to the highest ranks in the world. For 35 consecutive years, he has met multiple challenges and contributed to many successes - first with Leo Burnett, then with Bcom3 and within Publicis Groupe - and I am grateful to Jack for his contribution to the transformation of our Groupe. I'd like to extend to him my warmest thanks. He's leaving us an operation that is extremely well-organized, with effective tools and very talented management teams."

About Publicis Groupe

Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, part of the CAC 40 index] is the third largest communications group in the world, offering the full range of services and skills: digital (Digitas, Razorfish, Rosetta, VivaKi), traditional advertising (BBH, Leo Burnett, Publicis Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi), public affairs and events (MSLGROUP), media buying (Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia) and specialized communication with PHCG (Publicis Healthcare Communications Group). Present in 104 countries, the Groupe employs 56,000 professionals.

http://www.publicisgroupe.com | Twitter:@PublicisGroupe | Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/publicisgroupe

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Contacts

Publicis Groupe
Peggy Nahmany
Corporate Communication
+33(0)1-44-43-72-83

Martine Hue
Investor Relations
+33(0)1-44-43-65-00

Stéphanie Atellian
Investor Relations
+33(0)1-44-43-74-44

SOURCE Publicis Groupe