Omnicom Health Group acquires Elsevier's Pharma Communications business in Japan, rebrands as EMC K.K.

NEW YORK, March 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Omnicom Health Group, part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) and the largest healthcare marketing and communication group in the world, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Pharma Communications business in Japan of Elsevier, part of RELX Group.

The acquired business unit has been a leading healthcare communications business in Japan for 38 years, with a reputation for quality delivery of medical content for promotional materials and educational programs directed at doctors and patients.

The acquired business and employees will become part of a newly-named healthcare marketing communications agency, EMC K.K. The acquired unit's management team also joins EMC, with Takao Ozawa being promoted to Managing Director. He will report to David Stark, CEO of Omnicom Health Group Asia Pacific (OHG AP).

EMC further strengthens OHG's roster of leading healthcare agencies in Japan, which also includes Targis, Rx Healthcare, Polaris Consumer Health, CDM Tokyo, and the digital marketing and healthcare market research company MCI.

"Our clients' resolve to extend global initiatives to Japan—the world's second largest pharmaceutical market—and their desire to partner with us due to the excellent reputation of our companies, created a huge opportunity for us to grow our business further in Japan," said Ed Wise, CEO, Omnicom Health Group. "The addition of EMC's talented healthcare specialists, and their long term good standing in the market, enables us to meet growing client demand and maintain the best service offering in Japan."

Takao Ozawa, the agency's new MD, shares Wise's enthusiasm. "We are excited to bring our talented staff to EMC and join the Omnicom Health Group companies in Japan," he said. "We are confident that being a partner agency of Omnicom Health Group Asia Pacific will allow us to further develop the depth and breadth of our offering, and for EMC to bring even more value to our clients." 

"The brand name EMC commemorates a proud 38-year history delivering excellence in medical communications as the pharma communications business unit of Elsevier Japan," explains David Stark, CEO of OHG AP. "EMC's outstanding talent adds significant medical communications capacity to Omnicom Health Group in Japan. With EMC, we now have unmatched scale, depth and breadth of dedicated healthcare communications services, making us the best partner for clients and helping us deliver on our mission: Communications for a Healthy Life."

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2018.

ABOUT OMNICOM HEALTH GROUP  Omnicom Health Group (www.omnicomhealthgroup.com) is a global collective of communications companies with more than 3,200 dedicated healthcare communications specialists. It provides marketing services to the health and life-science industries through a combination of specialized agencies, customized client solutions, and collaborations with other Omnicom network agencies. Organized around four customer groups—healthcare professionals, patients, payers, and medical, evidence and regulatory stakeholders—Omnicom Health Group serves more than 100 clients in over 55 offices worldwide. Omnicom Health Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc., and a global group of marketing services companies with over 200 companies in the following marketing disciplines: healthcare, public relations, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding, research and advertising. 

ABOUT EMC K.K.  EMC K.K., is a 100% owned subsidiary of Omnicom Group. Elsevier Japan K.K.'s pharma communications business and employees will transfer to EMC K.K., a newly named healthcare marketing communications agency within Omnicom Health Group Asia Pacific (OHG AP).  OHG AP roster of leading healthcare agencies in Japan also includes Targis, Rx Healthcare, Polaris Consumer Health, CDM Tokyo and the healthcare marketing research and digital marketing company, MCI.  EMC K.K. has offices in Tokyo and Osaka.  As a result of the acquisition, OHG AP is now the largest and go to healthcare offering for clients in Japan. The breadth and depth, diversity of digital and strategic services, and highest quality of creative work, differentiates OHG AP in the market place. OHG AP's 250 dedicated healthcare specialists serve over 60 of the world's major Japan and multinational clients in Japan.

ABOUT OMNICOM GROUP INC.  Omnicom Group (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company.  Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries. Follow us on Twitter for the latest news.

ABOUT RELX GROUP.  RELX Group is a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. The Group serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs about 30,000 people of whom almost half are in North America. RELX PLC is a London listed holding company which owns 52.9% of RELX Group. RELX NV is an Amsterdam listed holding company which owns 47.1% of RELX Group. The shares are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX and RENX. The total market capitalization is approximately £29bn/€33bn/$40bn.

SOURCE Omnicom Health Group