Message from the Chair of the Management Board
MESSAGE
FROM THE
CHAIR
OF THE
MANAGEMENT
BOARD
Arthur Sadoun
Chair of the Management Board
We are well-equipped to face this crisis. The Groupe’s transformation, which we finalized in 2019, gives us fundamental assets to move forward in these uncertain times.
It is in a very particular context that we present you with Publicis Groupe’s activity report for 2019. As we publish this document, our world has been hit by a global pandemic, the economic impact of which cannot be predicted.
The first consequences on our activity were already apparent in the figures for the first quarter of 2020, which we have just published. After very encouraging results at the end of February, the month of March was seriously impacted by the continued crisis in China and the sharp deterioration of the situation in Europe.
We are now all facing a crisis that will be unprecedented in its scale, complexity and probably duration. In this period of uncertainty, we have reacted without delay and set three priorities.
First, we have focused on protecting our employees. We immediately adapted our IT infrastructure so that all our employees could work safely from home. We also took several initiatives to protect their health and well-being, so that our people feel supported. Finally, we accelerated the launch of Marcel, our artificial intelligence platform, because it has never been more important to connect our teams around the world and at the same time to fight the effects of isolation. It will thus enable our people all over the world to be in touch with each other, to exchange and generate creative and innovative ideas, thanks to all the Groupe’s talent.
We then fully mobilized to help our clients adapt to this situation; redefining their communication strategy and campaigns in this period of crisis; redirecting their media investments to enable them to achieve a better return in the short term; and offering them new products, with guaranteed results tailored to their needs. We are also helping them to accelerate their marketing and digital transformation to generate more growth and efficiency.
As follows every crisis of similar magnitude, habits will be permanently changed. We will work differently, trade differently, consume differently, through different channels and with brands that will have to reinvent themselves. Our clients will have to adapt, their strategic priorities and their transformation will have to be redefined, and we will be at their side to anticipate these changes and be a step ahead.
Finally, we have taken exceptional measures to face the coming recession and preserve our financial strength. We are implementing a 500 million euro savings plan, fully effective in 2020, to adapt to the current situation and be ready for recovery.
We are well-equipped to face this crisis. The Groupe’s transformation, which we finalized in 2019, gives us fundamental assets to move forward in these uncertain times.