By A Correspondent

GroupM has announced that it is consolidating the reporting and analysis of its commercial and business development data with COMvergence. COMvergence is an independent, international research company collecting and analysing data from the global marketing services groups and the marketplace.  This, according to reports, means a goodbye to RECMA, the longstanding agency analysing media agency business and growth.

Said Elizabeth McCune, Global Chief Growth Officer at GroupM: “COMvergence has taken an open approach to building its methodology and partnerships for data collection and tabulation, giving us the confidence that when we share data from their benchmark reports to clients and their pitch consultants, it is the most accurate and validated view of the size and scope of our business and competitive set across the globe. Our industry truly needs a focus on accuracy and transparency in this area,”

According to COMvergence’s most recent global billings and market share reports, GroupM is the number one media investment group for 2018, with $45B of cumulative billings and 28.8 percent market share (based on the total billings for the big 6 groups). In addition, three of GroupM’s agencies – Mindshare, Wavemaker and MediaCom – are in the top 10 rankings for global media agencies.

Said Olivier Gauthier, Founder of COMvergence: “GroupM has been an extraordinary client partner. They, along with the major holding company media groups, have worked with COMvergence since our founding to develop accurate methodologies and a collection of local and global reports that provide true insight into agencies and their performance across the globe.”. Gauthier worked with RECMA until March 2016 and set up COMvergence a month later.