Under the Radar: Dentsu’s Singapore CEO on the firm’s rapid internationalisation and M&A moves, addresses reports of potential sale of international business

Marketing and communications has been an integral part of companies in shaping their brand image, selling values, advertising their products and services, which ultimately rings in the dollars and cents seen on balance sheets.

But despite the importance of the profession, modern marketing as we know it to be is a relatively new field of business that took off only in the 1900s, with the widespread consumption of radio and television content.

Our guest for today is one of the early players in the industry. Founded in 1901 in Tokyo, our guest for today is Dentsu, one of the largest global marketing and communications networks in the world. 

The Tokyo-listed company boasts a presence spanning across 110 countries and regions, and is said to combine the talents of its global network of leadership brands to develop impactful and integrated growth solutions for enterprise customers. 

That is particularly so through its landmark acquisition of UK-based Aegis Group for 3.2 billion British pounds back in 2012, and its purchase of US-based customer relationship management firm Merkle to expand its footprint and standing on the global stage. 

In Singapore, Dentsu operates as a strategic hub for Southeast Asia, and delivers what it calls end-to-end experience transformation for brands, people and society.

Yet, Dentsu's rapid internationalisation moves come at a cost – the kinks involved in integrating acquisition targets have put a dent on financial performance. 

In August 2025, the firm reported an operating loss of 62 billion yen (S$540 million) for the quarter ended June, after booking an 86 billion yen impairment loss due to sluggish performance in the US and Europe. The company also said it will cut about 3,400 jobs in markets outside of Japan, or about 8 per cent of headcount in the region to streamline operations. 

And in that same month, a report by the Financial Times noted that Dentsu is considering selling its international business. 

So where are things at right now, and what would the recent developments mean for Dentsu’s Southeast Asia and Singapore’s operations? What would they mean for Dentsu's global growth ambitions too?

On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Prakash Kamdar, CEO, Clients & Solutions, SEA, and CEO, Singapore, Dentsu.

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