Leo Burnett acquires stake in integrated Israeli agency

LONDON - Leo Burnett Worldwide, owner of DM agency Arc, has bought a 51% stake in Tel Aviv-based integrated agency Geller-Nessis Marketing & Communications, giving it a foothold in the Israeli market.

Geller-Nessis has been running for more than 20 years and offers advertising, direct marketing, PR, event marketing and media planning.

Tom Bernadin, chairman and CEO of Leo Burnett Worldwide, said: "Geller-Nessis is a perfect compliment to Leo Burnett's presence in Europe and the Middle East. We see Geller-Nessis as a key strategic partner because its capabilities mirror Leo Burnett and Arc's so closely -- they're quite simply our kind of people."

With 75 staff, Geller-Nessis counts Procter & Gamble, Sprite, Fanta and Diners Club among its clients

Leo Burnett's parent company Publicis Groupe already has a presence in Israel with majority-owned Publicis Ariely and affiliate Saatchi & Saatchi BBR.

Terms of the deal with Geller-Nessis have not been disclosed, and the acquisition is pending approval from the Israeli Anti-Trust Authority.

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