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Starcom Motive will become Starcom and take the role as the lead agency for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, while Starcom Mediavest retains its name with a more UK focus.

Jim Marshall, chairman of Starcom UK, said this did not make a full-scale merger more likely. "I can entirely rule out a merger – categorically and absolutely not," Marshall said.

"There are no short-term or long-term plans to merge although, having said that, we're already merged in the sense of being a unified operating entity."

Iain Jacob, currently managing director of Starcom Mediavest, remains in charge of the Whitfield Street agency but also takes on a wider role as Starcom Group managing director. He continues to report to Marshall.

Also at Starcom Mediavest, Stewart Easterbrook becomes operations director, Avril Gallagher becomes client services director and Richard Hartell planning director, all reporting to Jacob.

The restructure also sees a change in role for Pete Edwards, currently managing director at Starcom Motive. He becomes one of four managing partners at Great Pulteney Street-based Starcom with EMEA responsibilities, alongside Andy Roberts, Ian Clarke and Nigel Foote.

All four report to Mark Cranmer, chief executive for Starcom Group EMEA, who said: "These changes are all about us playing to our strengths as a business in a consolidating international environment. It's no secret that Starcom is not the biggest network in EMEA, although it's a recognised power-brand in the US and UK."

Marshall, who moves to the Great Pulteney Street office to partner with Cranmer on the operational running of the office, said the Motive name was a hangover from the agency's legacy as a breakaway from Bartle Bogle Hegarty and no longer relevant.

The global brand is Starcom and Starcom UK is part of the Publicis-owned Starcom Media- Vest Group.

"We could just be called Starcom A and Starcom B," Marshall said. "The Motive name is a bit of an anomaly, it's not part of the overall Starcom brand going forward, whereas Mediavest is, so there is sense in continuing that."

He added that the restructure is not connected with the fact that parent company Publicis Groupe established a global management board for media last year, which he said had only affected back office operations in the UK – although it had meant some cooperation with sister agency ZenithOptimedia in some territories in Europe.

In a further move, Tarek Ayntrazi, Middle East chief executive of Starcom Group, becomes chief operating officer for Starcom Central Western and Eastern Europe.