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Fernando Rodes is working the terrace with his trademark Catalan charisma at the Media Planning Group Atelier, the Croisette bolthole favoured by UK hacks who can't get on a PC at the Lions press room and delegates who have had more than enough sessions for one day.

From the wide smile and twinkling eyes, you wouldn't know the MPG chief executive has just flown down from the Havas board meeting, where Alain de Pouzilhac finally conceded defeat to Vincent Bollore by tendering his resignation. In Cannes, it's business as usual for Rodes. Haven't MPG's parent company's troubles caused him any concern at all?

"Zero," he says emphatically. "Would we prefer to work without that situation? Obviously, but we closed a chapter yesterday, and what we expect now is a new period where we'll do well."

Rodes will be hoping this new period is coloured by a more nurturing relationship between Havas and one of its youngest adoptive children.

He freely admits that MPG has succeeded over the past two or three years without support from the network.

"Havas has had other priorities," he says, diplomatically. "Because we are all very disciplined at MPG, we've understood that. We still believe being part of a group could enable, enhance and foster growth and development ... and what we expect from this phase is a little bit more backing from our holding company."

That said, MPG's organic growth has been nothing short of impressive.

In June 2003, when the agency moved into its new US offices adjacent to New York's Ground Zero, Leopoldo Rodes, Fernando's father and the agency's founder and chairman, announced: "Today we have a team of 2,500 people in 28 markets. In the next few months, our presence will be expanded to 17 additional countries."

Two years on, this expansion, on a geographic level at least, is an overachievement to be proud of. MPG now operates directly in 48 markets, a number that rises to 80 if MPG franchises are factored in. "This is a little bit beyond our plans," Rodes smiles. He points to Eastern Europe, where MPG was projecting growth, but not to the extent that it's seen: operations in every market, only a handful of them alliances or franchises.

MPG has come a long way from its roots. Founded in the 70s as Spain's first media independent before expanding into Hispanic markets, Media Planning, as it was then known, was a 700-employee company six years ago when the major international holding companies began giving it the glad eye and launched into their complicated courtship rituals. In 1999, Media Planning merged with Havas' Mediapolis to form Media Planning Group. Two years later, Havas picked up the remaining Media Planning shares.

But geographic expansion was not Rodes' only ambition six years ago.

He is more than aware that talent and product reinforcement are equally key areas for attention; the former in weaker markets where the MPG offering needs bolstering, the latter across the 80-market network. And while he says "Europe is done, and done much earlier than we thought", he concedes that some markets within the continent aren't as "done" as others. Germany and Italy, for instance.

London is a particular concern. Not because of its product offering - the MPG interactive arm, Media Contacts, is booming in the capital - but because of its declining billings and 16th position in the media agency rankings. MPG has recently invested in talent in London in the form of Mark Craze, the 17-year Aegis veteran, who has returned to agency life after a year out to partner Marc Mendoza as a joint managing partner of the operation. "Mark's entrepreneurial, fast-moving style will flourish within our culture," Rodes says.

Back on mainland Europe, all eyes are on the acronym-strewn Peugeot Citroen (PSA) media account pitch. MPG has teamed up with WPP's Group M to form 2MV in an attempt to beat OMD Europe to the business. PSA's media is currently handled on a market-by-market basis - MPG has the £180 million French account - but faced with a pan-European review and a desire from PSA to prove MPG is credible across the continent, a joint venture was seen as essential.

Rodes disputes a quotation attributed to him in ±±¾©Èü³µpk10 four years ago in which he expressed a desire for MPG to be one of the top-five media agencies by the middle of the decade. In 2005, for all its strength in France, Spain and Latin America, 2004 Recma figures show that MPG is still only the tenth-largest agency by billings.

And although Rodes says he's contented with the relationship MPG has with its parent, his cry that he's not totally satisfied and that "we should have more energy and resources to invest in talent and innovation" shows frustration with the lack of investment coming from Havas, particularly in Asia. Would he consider a divorce?

"No," he says emphatically. "We took the partnership and then the merger with Havas as something very important. We are always going to do what is best for Havas and the shareholders and the MPG team. I strongly believe Havas is our home; what we need to know is how this new era will benefit MPG and how the resources will flow."

And with that, he's whisked off back to Paris for more Havas board machinations.

Before he goes, he describes the mood in the French capital. It's a standard business tale, he says. Someone comes knocking, there's a new dynamic on the board, the chairman resigns and the board accepts. "If you put the emotion on top of that, of course there's some drama," he says. "But we're here to work. We have to cry at home."