Publicis Groupe to acquire SEA influencer agency HEPMIL

Publicis Groupe has signed a definitive agreement to acquire parent company of SGAG HEPMIL Media Group, a leading influencer, content, and social agency in Southeast Asia.

The move will combine HEPMIL’s expertise in building digital communities and managing local creators with Publicis Groupe’s data capabilities, including Lotame and Epsilon’s ID graph covering more than 800 million consumer profiles in the region.

The integration aims to strengthen Publicis’ position in identity-driven influencer marketing, offering clients the region’s only creator practice capable of unifying social and audience strategy, influencer management, and data-led content creation.

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The partnership also enables measurement of cross-channel outcomes and delivery of brand-safe, data-driven campaigns that target high-value consumers. Publicis declined to disclose the financial terms of the acquisition.

Founders Adrian Ang and Karl Mak took to Instagram to share the news, reflecting on HEPMIL’s journey and their decision to sell the company to Publicis.

Mak explained that the move was about unlocking greater opportunities: “We sat down as a core team and realised this step could create so much more value, not just for the two of us, but for our creators, our brand, our client partners, and our employees. From a Southeast Asia stage, we’re now stepping onto a much bigger, global stage.”

Founded in Singapore in 2015, HEPMIL manages over 450 brands and works with more than 3,000 creators through its HEPMIL Creators Network (HCN). Its network reaches over 1 billion people across six Southeast Asian markets. The agency traces its roots to next-generation media platforms SGAG, MGAG, and PGAG, which together attract more than 70 million fans in the region.

HEPMIL has grown rapidly, leveraging creator-led storytelling, culturally relevant formats, and long-term relationships with talent. According to Publicis, influencer marketing in Southeast Asia is projected to grow 12%-15% over the next five years, with spend expected to exceed USD 1.4 billion by 2030.

HEPMIL will continue to operate under its own brand while collaborating with Publicis Groupe teams across Southeast Asia.

“After the acquisition of Influential 18 months ago and Captiv8 earlier this year, to build the world’s most powerful connected influencer platform, we’re doubling down on data-driven creator marketing in what is a highly strategic region for Publicis and our clients," said Arthur Sadoun, chairman and CEO, Publicis Groupe.

He added that through the combination of HEPMIL’s reach, content expertise and social platforms combined with the power of Publicis’ identity graph and its unique media ecosystem, "we’re building Southeast Asia’s first end-to-end influencer solution, enabling clients to unite social strategy, influencer management and cross-platform content to deliver creator solutions that drive to real, measurable business outcomes".  

In tandem, Amrita Randhawa, CEO of Publicis Groupe Singapore and Southeast Asia said, "Parts of the solution that is right for clients exist in all parts of industry. But no one has brought everything together meaningfully in Southeast Asia. We will change that."

"HEPMIL’s origins as the creators of some of Southeast Asia’s most loved consumer content has helped redefine how brands can show up natively, authentically, and with real-time cultural relevance. Now powered by the AI, data and platform prowess of Publicis Groupe we will ensure every dollar of clients’ social and influence spend is genuine, accountable and in service of growth in Southeast Asia," she added. 

Mak said the agency began as a dream he and Ang nurtured at Singapore Management University. Over the past decade, HEPMIL has grown into a team of more than 300, turning that vision into reality. He described the acquisition as the start of the agency’s next phase of growth.

"This opportunity to work with the entire team in Publicis Groupe Southeast Asia and globally is going to unlock so much more value for our business, client partners, creator network and our employees," he added. 

The HEPMIL acquisition builds on Publicis Groupe’s recent moves to expand its influencer capabilities globally. In May, the group acquired influencer platform Captiv8 and paired it with its existing agency Influential, creating what it calls the world’s largest creator network.

Together, Captiv8 and Influential give access to over 15 million creators globally, most with more than one million followers, and leverage AI-driven technology and Epsilon’s identity data to deliver unified creator strategies across social platforms and markets.

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