MUMBAI: Listed marketing services group, Scangroup Limited, has changed its name to WPP Scangroup Limited.

Announcing the change of name, WPP Scangroup CEO Bharat Thakrar said that the change of name signifies that WPP Scangroup and WPP plc are now fully together, with a shared vision, values and core principles for developing marketing communications across Sub Saharan Africa and a conviction about how this can be achieved.

“The synergy from the coming together of these two great firms will significantly transform the future of marketing communications across this fascinating continent. This is aptly captured by the famous African proverb that says: ‘If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,’” Thakrar said.

WPP Scangroup is the largest marketing and communication group operating a multi-agency model across multiple disciplines in sub Saharan Africa. It is the only marketing services that is listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE); and has a geographical footprint across sub-Saharan Africa.

Scangroup’s history dates back to 1982, when it started as a small independent advertising agency that was then known as SCANAD. Over the years, it has grown its service capabilities to include media planning and buying, public relations, market research, experiential and digital. This is besides developing affiliations with international agency groups such as J Walter Thompson, Ogilvy and Grey. Scangroup was created in 2005 as a structured corporate entity to house all these diverse companies. It was listed on the NSE in 2006.

Scangroup and WPP entered a partnership in 2006, months after its listing on the NSE. This partnership included WPP taking up a minority stake in Scangroup as part of its efforts to expand its footprint in Africa. In 2013, WPP acquired additional shares in Scangroup Limited in Kenya, increasing its interest to 50.1 per cent.