An insight into the future digital transformation of marketing

In the final quarter of last year, especially as we drew close to the holidays, a pall seemed to be creeping over the deal market. A sense that things had been too good for too long hung in the air, along with its logical follow-on—that the end was nigh: a downturn was overdue and M&A activity would shrink along with the economy. Well, that fear has proven unfounded so far in 2019. Global economies continue to expand and M&A hums along. Publicis Groupe’s US$4.4bn purchase of Alliance Data’s Epsilon unit is the latest blockbuster MD&I headline. No price is too high in order to remain relevant— good economy or bad. KEN SONENCLAR, MANAGING DIRECTOR, OAKLINS, NEW YORK, USA