2019 Annual financial report

Chapter 7. 2019 Annual financial statements

Report on corporate governance

We attest that the Supervisory Board’s report on corporate governance sets out the information required by Articles L. 225-37-3 and L. 225-37-4 of the French Commercial Code.

Concerning the information given in accordance with the requirements of Article L. 225-37-3 of the French Commercial Code (Code de commerce) relating to remunerations and benefits received or awarded by the directors and any other commitments made in their favor, we have verified its consistency with the financial statements, or with the underlying information used to prepare these financial statements and, where applicable, with the information obtained by your company from controlled companies that are included in the scope of consolidation. Based on these procedures, we attest the accuracy and fair presentation of this information.

With respect to the information relating to items that your company considered likely to have an impact in the event of a takeover bid or exchange offer, provided pursuant to Article L. 225-37-5 of the French Commercial Code (Code de commerce), we have agreed this information to the source documents communicated to us. Based on these procedures, we have no observations to make on this information.

Other information

In accordance with French law, we have verified that the required information concerning the purchase of investments and controlling interests and the identity of the shareholders and holders of the voting rights has been properly disclosed in the management report.

Report on other legal and regulatory requirements
Appointment of the Statutory Auditors

We were appointed as statutory auditors of Publicis Groupe SA by the Annual General Meetings held on June 25, 1981 for Mazars and on June 4, 2007 for ERNST & YOUNG et Autres

As at December 31, 2019 Mazars and ERNST & YOUNG et Autres were in the 39th year and 13th year of total uninterrupted engagement respectively (ERNST & YOUNG Audit having served as statutory auditor of Publicis Groupe SA previously, from 2001 to 2006).

Responsibilities of management and those charged with governance for the Financial Statements 

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with French accounting principles and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless it is expected to liquidate the Company or to cease operations.

The Audit Committee is responsible for monitoring the financial reporting process and the effectiveness of internal control and risks management systems and where applicable, its internal audit, regarding the accounting and financial reporting procedures

The financial statements were approved by the Management Board.