Sandeep Goyal reportedly mulls bid for Dentsu’s global ad business outside Japan

Industry veteran Sandeep Goyal, Managing Director at Rediffusion, is reportedly evaluating a bid for Dentsu’s advertising operations outside Japan, according to media reports. The unit, which employs over 66,000 people across 143 markets, is currently up for sale.

As per media reports, Goyal confirmed that he is in talks with investment bankers and potential partners to assess the deal. The business falls under the Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) umbrella, which includes agencies such as Carat, Merkle, McGarryBowen, Isobar, Posterscope, iProspect and Vizeum.

The company’s international operations expanded following its $5 billion acquisition of UK-headquartered Aegis Group in 2013, which at the time was the largest cross-border deal by a Japanese advertising company. However, the non-Japan business has faced structural challenges, balancing Tokyo’s ‘communication without lines’ approach with the Western centralised model, the reports noted.

Apart from Goyal, the reports have also mentioned Accenture as a potential contender, though industry watchers suggest that most global advertising holding companies may avoid the bid due to integration complexities and operational hurdles.

If the discussions proceed, it would represent one of the most significant moves by an Indian advertising leader in the global market, reports noted.