Freud buys back his agency - again

Matthew Freud, the publicist married to Elisabeth Murdoch, has regained control of his eponymous public relations and marketing agency from the Publicis Groupe.

The deal is thought to have valued Freud Communications at between £75m and £100m. Publicis took a 50.1 share in the agency in 2005 and it was revealed last November that Mr Freud wanted to win back control. It is the second time he has bought back the company; he did so in 2001 after a sale to Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO.