Scaling a Culture of Client-centricity

As one of the world’s largest communications groups, Publicis Groupe has experienced first-hand the impact of technology on service, consumer behaviour and marketing. To adapt to the connected age, they have reinvented themselves by moving from a Holding Company to a Platform through their Power of One Approach.

This radical transformation puts clients at the centre to facilitate access to Publicis’ services in a fast-moving environment. For this bold brand promise to be met, client-centricity has to live and breathe through every client-facing person and in every client interaction.

In 2023, the Learning & Development Team at Publicis Groupe UK identified that for the Power of One to succeed, teams across the Group needed to develop more client-centric behaviours. Their goal was to create a sustainable, scalable curriculum that would foster commercial confidence and strategic empathy across all seniority levels.

To address these objectives, they initiated a partnership with True & North to roll out our Client-centred Thinking programme across 22 different Publicis Groupe UK agencies, enabling them to strengthen their relationship with clients and, in turn, drive growth.

What began as a foundational initiative has evolved into a permanent fixture of the Publicis UK learning calendar. Recognising the need for continuous development, the L&D team has since added our Negotiation Demystified and Leading Change workshops to their general curriculum.

Now entering its fourth year, the partnership continues to grow in scope and impact. By the end of 2025, our programmes had reached over 500 learners, ensuring that these high-value skills are embedded into the operational DNA of the Groupe.