Publicis Groupe Announces Chief Revenue Officer’s Sabbatical to Deal with Family Health Issue. Laura Desmond to Return January 1, 2017

“Laura has been dedicated to Publicis Groupe for her entire career, successfully driving transformation, growth and impact for the Groupe and its clients,” says Maurice Levy, Chairman & CEO, Publicis Groupe. “We fully support her taking this needed time to support her family and look forward to her return at the start of next year.”

In the interim, Desmond’s responsibilities will be coordinated by Rishad Tobaccowala, Chief Strategist, Publicis Groupe. Over the next weeks, Desmond will be working closely with leadership to ensure an orderly transition for this interim period.

“People know how committed I am to my profession and career, but family really does come first. I’m very grateful to Maurice Levy and Publicis Groupe for being the kind of organization that supports people taking time to deal with challenging times. It's a priority for me to be there for my family for the next six months, and then rejoining Publicis Groupe at the beginning of next year,” says Desmond.

Appointed Chief Revenue Officer in December 2015, Desmond is responsible for developing strategies that catalyze Groupe transformation andbusiness transformation through the alchemy of creativity and technology. In addition, she leads the Groupe’s Chief Client Officers, simplifying and accelerating the way clients access communications and marketing technology solutions across Publicis Groupe with the concept of Power of One. Prior to her current role, Desmond served as Global CEO of Starcom Mediavest Group, more than doubling its size and nurturing relationships with the world’s biggest marketers including Samsung, Procter & Gamble, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, Visa as well as new establishment brands such as Airbnb and Twitter.