Glossary/Agency & Industry/Agency Holding Company
Agency & Industry
Agency Holding Company
A parent group owning many agency brands, such as WPP, Publicis Groupe, Omnicom or Dentsu.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
An agency holding company is a parent group that owns many agency brands, such as WPP, Publicis Groupe, Omnicom or Dentsu. Holding companies combine creative, media, PR, data and specialist agencies, giving large clients scale, buying power and integrated services. Critics point to complexity, internal competition and conflicts, which independent agencies often position against.