Omnicom Merges Hearts & Science and Mediahub Into 'Hearts United'
Omnicom Media has merged its Hearts & Science and Mediahub networks into a single global agency, Hearts United — a 40-market, ~$9.1bn operation — with Charles Roussaux taking charge in France as the newly enlarged holding group flexes its post-IPG scale.
Two networks become one
Omnicom Media officially launched Hearts United on 31 August 2026, fusing its Hearts & Science and Mediahub networks into a single global media agency. The combined shop spans roughly 40 markets and around $9.1bn in 2025 billings.
In France, Charles Roussaux — previously CEO of Hearts & Science France — now runs Hearts United France, with Ross Jenkins leading the EMEA region. It is a consolidation as much organisational as it is a rebrand.
Scale is the whole point
The merger follows Omnicom's blockbuster combination with Interpublic, and Hearts United is one of the clearest expressions of the new group's heft. Bigger buying scale means more leverage with platforms and better data assets — the two currencies that matter most in modern media.
The new-business numbers underline the momentum. Omnicom Media led all global media groups on new business in 2026, winning some $4.1bn in new budgets, with clients such as Adidas, Delta and IBM. Hearts United itself ranks #1 in the US ($294m) and #3 globally ($567m) on year-to-date wins.
What it means for French advertisers
For advertisers in France, consolidation cuts both ways. A larger agency can promise sharper pricing and richer data, but clients rightly worry about becoming a small fish in a very big pond, and about conflicts as rival accounts sit under one roof.
The test for Roussaux's team will be whether 'united' feels like added capability or added bureaucracy. Scale only helps a client if it translates into better rates, smarter planning and faster service — not just a bigger org chart.
The Marketing Minute read
Media is consolidating into a handful of mega-agencies, and the pitch is always the same: scale buys efficiency. The reality is that scale is necessary but not sufficient. What converts size into value is the discipline to pass efficiencies back to clients rather than bank them.
For marketers reviewing their agency, the question to ask a newly merged partner is simple: show me, in pounds and euros, what your extra scale does for my media. If the answer is vague, the merger benefits them more than you.
Quick FAQ
What is Hearts United?
It is a new global media agency created on 31 August 2026 by merging Omnicom Media's Hearts & Science and Mediahub networks, spanning about 40 markets with roughly $9.1bn in 2025 billings.
Who runs it in France?
Charles Roussaux, formerly CEO of Hearts & Science France, leads Hearts United France, while Ross Jenkins heads the EMEA region.
How is Omnicom Media performing on new business?
It led all global media groups in 2026 with around $4.1bn in new budgets, including Adidas, Delta and IBM; Hearts United ranks #1 in the US and #3 globally on year-to-date wins.
Every media mega-merger sells the same promise: scale equals efficiency. But scale is only worth something to a client if the agency has the discipline to hand those savings back rather than pocket them. Ask your newly enlarged partner to prove it in euros — the vague answers tell you everything. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
Hearts United gives Omnicom formidable scale in France and beyond — but for advertisers, the value is only real if that size shows up as better rates and smarter planning, not a bigger org chart.
If your media agency just doubled in size, can it show you exactly what that extra scale is worth to your budget?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: mind Media, The Media Leader France, Omnicom, LBBOnline.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
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