Publicis Groupe has opened its cheque-book again to strengthen its direct and digital capabilities with the purchase of Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw for an undisclosed sum.
The deal is the second for the French-owned group this year, after its £14.45m purchase of Chemistry last month.
The acquisition follows years of speculation about a potential sale, with both Engine Group and Australian marketing services group Photon eyeing the business.
Under the deal, the agency will be merged with Digitas in the UK, and rebranded Kitcatt Nohr Digitas. It will have about 160 people and clients will include Procter & Gamble, John Lewis, Lexus and Delta Airlines.
Marc Nohr and Paul Kitcatt are to take on the roles of chief executive and chief creative officer respectively. Vonnie Alexander will be chief client officer, and Jeremy Shaw becomes commercial director. The UK president of Digitas James Sanderson has left.
Kitcatt Nohr launched in 2002 from the ashes of charity specialist agency Lion, with backing from Mentor, an investment group set up by former DMA president Colin Lloyd.
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