CCP approves foreign acquisition in Ogilvy, Mindshare, and Soho Square Pakistan

ISLAMABAD — The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has granted approval for three merger transactions, allowing Netherlands-based Berkeley Square Holding BV to acquire a 50 percent shareholding in Ogilvy & Mather Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd, Mindshare Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd, and Soho Square Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd.

The shares are being acquired from Mr. Taher Anwar Khan, with the transaction in Mindshare Pakistan also involving Interflow Communications (Pvt.) Ltd as a seller. The acquiring entity, Berkeley Square Holding BV, is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of WPP plc — a London-headquartered multinational advertising and communications conglomerate.

With this approval, WPP plc will gain controlling interest in the three firms, strengthening its strategic foothold in Pakistan’s advertising and media services sector. WPP already operates in Pakistan through various local subsidiaries and is recognized globally for offering creative transformation services.

Ogilvy & Mather Pakistan is a leading full-service advertising agency offering brand strategy, creative development, and integrated marketing solutions across various industries. Mindshare Pakistan is a prominent media buying and planning agency, known for leveraging data-driven strategies to optimize clients’ media investments. Meanwhile, Soho Square Pakistan is a boutique creative agency under the WPP umbrella, catering to niche branding and advertising needs with localized content and digital focus.

During its review, the CCP identified “Advertising Services” and “Media Services” as the relevant markets for the transactions within Pakistan. It concluded that the proposed acquisitions would not result in the creation or strengthening of a dominant position, nor would they substantially lessen competition in the local market.

The Commission further noted that there are no significant barriers to entry or risks of harmful market concentration arising from the mergers. All approvals were granted under Section 31(1)(d)(i) of the Competition Act, 2010.

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