IPG sells MullenLowe Indonesia to local leadership

Interpublic Group (IPG) subsidiary MullenLowe Group (MLG) has agreed to sell the majority of its shareholding in MullenLowe Indonesia to local management holding company Lintas Agra Perkasa. The new company will be called MullenLowe Lintas Indonesia (MLI). IPG and MullenLowe Group will remain retaining a 20% stake in the business. This stake and relationship in one of the largest markets in East Asia enables both parties to retain more active collaboration and access to resources than would be the case in a full divestment. 

The new management holding company is controlled and led by the MLI managing director David Setiaputra Lukas, who has led the agency in Indonesia since last year. Lukas first joined MullenLowe Group Indonesia at 2012 as the managing director of Rise Indonesia, a subsidiary agency of MullenLowe Group Indonesia. Rise handled a full range of services from advertising, branding, to digital consultancy for brands such as McDonalds, Sunpride, and First Media. Prior to this David has had experiences leading creative teams at Ogilvy and Leo Burnett.

Lukas said, “I believe change is an opportunity to become a more dynamic group while being a strong partner to clients, helping them to achieve their brand and sales goals. When clients place their trust in MLI we will cherish that opportunity to strive for high standards of professionalism and ethics while producing fresh and effective communications strategies with great clarity of thinking. That is our heritage and that won’t change.”

According to the release, the move to transition MullenLowe Group to Indonesian majority control is consistent with MullenLowe Group’s strategy to create a more agile network in Asia built around market, team and individual skill sets and experience.  Early last year, MullenLowe Malaysia announced a management buyout which saw CEO Adrian Sng  obtaining full ownership of the business. The agency is now known as MullenLowe Sng & Partners Malaysia, effective immediately.

MullenLowe Group comprises integrated brand communications, digital, activation, design and content production specialist business units. It offers strong local knowledge coupled with international standards of marketing communication excellence.

The agency however still remains part of the MullenLowe Group network as an affiliate business partner, retaining access to the network's global tools and expertise. It will also remain involved in all global client business and will continue its commitment to MullenLowe Group's hyperbundled approach.