Effective July 1, Leo Burnett MEA’s experiential and shopper marketing division ARC will function as an independent agency, serving all Publicis Communications agencies in the region. The move follows the global restructure of Publicis Groupe, which Raja Trad spoke about earlier this year.

Raja Sowan, currently regional director of retail engagement practice at ARC, will head the independent agency as regional managing director ARC MEA, reporting directly to Raja Trad, chief executive officer of Publicis Communications MEA.

As per global directives, ARC will be the specialized arm of Publicis Communications in all activities to do with shopper communication and marketing, in-market activation, customer engagement and experiential marketing.

Trad says in a press statement: “I cannot stress enough the importance of this collaboration to deliver against the spirit of The Power of One. By sharing the strengths that ARC brings to the table, with all the agencies under Publicis Communications, we will be able to create a marked and positive difference in the lives of Shoppers in the Middle East, and around the world.”

Sowan adds: “Arc will continue to deliver shopper solutions rooted in a deep understanding of shopper behavior and fueled by proprietary ShopperBackMS thinking and PeopleShop research tools to help connect shoppers with brands along their path to purchase, and motivate them to shop these brands.”