• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, July 2, 2019

Publicis Groupe said today it has completed the estimated $4 billion acquisition of data-driven and precision-marketing company Epsilon from Alliance Data Corp.

The companies agreed to do the transaction in April. 

Publicis said its PeopleCloud data platform would be folded into Epsilon, which will continue to be led by its current CEO Bryan Kennedy, who will report to holding company chief Arthur Sadoun. 

Epsilon’s affiliate-marketing platform CJ Affililate will be aligned with Publicis Media. Some of the acquired company’s creative agencies will be organized under the Publicis Communications umbrella. 

Integration plans are well underway — Publicis Groupe clients in the U.S. will have immediate access to Epsilon services and international access will roll out in the following months. 

Publicis said it has formed 19 operational task forces that will address issues such as privacy, real estate, support functions and shared services to help implement the full integration of Epsilon into the holding company’s operations. 

The company said it borrowed a little more than $3 billion in various forms of debt to fund the transaction.