Stepping down from the board alongside Lowe are: David Bell, vice-chairman of Interpublic, who joined after the acquisition of True North; Jim Heekin, chairman and chief executive of McCann-Erickson WorldGroup; and Brendan Ryan, chairman of FCB Group.
John Dooner, chairman and CEO of Interpublic, said: "The interests of Interpublic shareholders will be best served by a board that is primarily made up of independent, outside directors."
Joining the board will be Michael Roth, chairman and CEO of financial services firm, the MONY Group. He will sit with Dooner, Sean Orr, who is Interpublic's chief financial officer, and six other outsiders.
The six are: Frank Borelli, former chief financial officer of Marsh & McLennan; Reginald Brack, former chairman and CEO of Time Inc; Jill Considine, chairman and CEO of The Depository Trust & Clearing Company; Richard Goldstein, chairman and CEO of International Flavors and Fragrances; H John Greeniaus, former chairman and CEO of Nabisco; and J Phillip Samper, managing director at Gabriel Venture Partners.
Shares in Interpublic, trading on the New York Stock Exchange, were up by 3.1% when the market closed yesterday, gaining 88 cents to be worth $29.35.
The four departing board members will continue in their normal roles. Dooner said: "Their selfless decision to step down at this time will result in a board whose composition is now consistent with that of other leading public companies."
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