WPP goes shopping again in Asia

Advertising conglomerate WPP has added independent Singapore public relations firm XPR to its ever growing empire.

The firm said Cohn & Wolfe, its own public relations group, had agreed to acquire a majority stake in XPR, which has offices in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia for an undisclosed sum.

The announcement comes just a day after WPP announced it had taken a controlling stake in Mind Resource Healthcare Consulting, an independent healthcare communications agency in Hong Kong.

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XPR employs 28 people and clients include Groupon, SingTel, BMW Asia, Salesforce.com and Motorola Mobility, WPP said.

Last year XPR pulled in S$1.4m and had gross assets at the end of 2010 of approximately S$600,000.

"This investment continues WPP's strategy of developing its services in fast-growing and important markets and sectors and strengthening its capabilities in digital media," WPP said.

"WPP's businesses in the Asia Pacific region generate revenues of over $4bn (including associates) and employ approximately 42,000 people," it added.