Digitas is merging with Dutch firm in a bid to form a global digital marketing network

By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff

Digitas, a marketing firm with 620 people in its Boston office, is merging with a Dutch firm in a bid by their shared corporate parent to form a global digital marketing network.

About six years ago, Digitas was acquired by the French advertising giant Publicis Groupe in a $1.3 billion cash deal. Publicis Groupe recently bought Amsterdam-based LBi, a firm whose skill set is similar to that of Digitas. And now Publicis Groupe is merging Digitas and LBi into a new entity that will be called DigitasLBi.

The new entity will be led by LBi chief executive Luke Taylor, Publicis Groupe said in a press release.

Maurice Lévy. Photo taken from Publicis website.

No changes are planned for North America in the short term, a Digitas spokesman said in an e-mail, and Colin Kinsella will continue to lead Digitas USA.

DigitasLBi will be made up of 5,700 employees in 25 countries. Clients include American Express, Coca-Cola, Delta, eBay, L’Oréal, Johnson & Johnson, Nissan, Sprint, and Starbucks.

In a statement, Maurice Lévy, chairman and chief executive of Publicis Groupe, said, “The combination of Digitas and LBi will create the world’s leading concentration of digital skills and competencies in the world, capable of delivering solutions to all clients, everywhere.”