PARIS — WPP is merging the Parisian operations of Ogilvy with its sibling firm Grey from July 1, although the two brands will remain in place.

The Grey team of 10 will join Ogilvy’s Paris office of around 500 people, with the joint agency heads, creative directors Régis Boulanger and Romain Repellin, joining Ogilvy co-presidents Emmanuel Ferry (pictured, right) and Matthieu Elkaim (left) to form the leadership of the combined firm.

The two agencies will remain affiliated to their respective international networks, and the Grey team will draw on Ogilvy’s teams across PR and influence, branding and advertising, consulting, social, customer engagement and commerce, and production.

US and UK-headquartered holding companies have sometimes struggled in the French market, which is dominated by the locally-owned Publicis and Havas groups; it is not known whether the combining of the Grey and Ogilvy businesses in Paris is a precursor to a full merger of the two WPP brands under Ogilvy’s new global CEO, Deloitte Digital’s Andy Main, who begins the transition from outgoing John Siefert next month.

Elkaim said: “We are very pleased to join forces with Grey's network with which Ogilvy has always had a great deal in common. We look forward to welcoming Romain and Régis, who we know well. We share their entrepreneurial spirit acquired over the last few years at Grey; a value we are keen to inspire at Ogilvy.”

WPP France country manager Mathieu Morgensztern added: “This partnership perfectly illustrates the strength of the WPP model which, through its agility, allows us to imagine solutions to meet the current challenges brands are facing. This type of alliance is already at work in other countries. These alliances have proven their effectiveness. I wish the Grey teams every success in this new chapter of their history.”