UK watchdog clears Omnicom’s $13.25 billion acquisition of Interpublic

New Delhi: Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has given the green light to Omnicom Group Inc.’s $13.25 billion all-stock acquisition of rival Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. (IPG). 

This clears a major hurdle for the creation of the world’s largest advertising and marketing agency. 

The CMA announced on August 6, 2025, that it would not refer the merger to an in-depth Phase 2 probe, concluding that the deal does not pose a significant risk to competition in the UK market. 

The decision, following approvals from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Australian regulators, brings the high-profile merger closer to its anticipated closure in the second half of 2025.

The deal, struck in December 2024, unites two advertising giants, combining Omnicom’s portfolio, including agencies like BBDO and DDB Worldwide, with IPG’s roster, featuring McCann Worldgroup and FCB. 

The CMA’s probe, launched in June 2025, assessed whether the merger could reduce competition in the UK’s advertising sector, which has seen robust growth, particularly in digital advertising.

The regulator’s clearance decision, detailed in a forthcoming report, reflects confidence that the merger will not harm market dynamics or pricing strategies.

The US FTC approved the deal in late June 2025, with a condition prohibiting the new company from entering into agreements to steer advertising dollars toward or away from publishers based on political content, addressing concerns about media influence. 

The clearance comes amid a busy period for Omnicom, which recently secured OpenAI as a client through its PHD agency. With regulatory hurdles now largely cleared, all eyes are on how Omnicom and IPG will integrate their operations to redefine the global advertising industry.