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# Indie agencies warn AI has closed the gap with holdcos
- URL: https://www.promptthemarket.com/indie-agencies-warn-ai-has-closed-the-gap-with-holdcos/
- Published: 2026-09-27T05:30:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-27T05:29:59.000Z
- Description: On 23 September 2026, Independent Media Agencies Australia (IMAA) gathered senior figures from four independent agencies at the Gallery Room of the State Library of New South Wales for its inaugural Indies Up Close event.
- Author: Editor News
- Tags: Agencies, Australia, IMAA, #author-xaviery-malinao, #by Xaviery Malinao

By **Xaviery Malinao** · 2026-09-26

TLDR

Four senior Australian independent agency leaders told an industry event the technology advantage they once held over holding companies has largely gone. Equality Media's Marilla Akkermans warned the sector faces a rough 12 months, as holdco AI platforms now automate planning, buying and content at a scale no indie can match with headcount alone.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

01Enigma's Justin Ladmore said the capability gap between independents and holding companies has largely disappeared.

02Equality Media's Marilla Akkermans warned the sector faces a rough ride over the next 12 months.

03Publicis CoreAI unifies 2.3 billion consumer profiles, a data asset no independent agency can replicate.

04WPP Open Pro and Omnicom Omni both launched or relaunched within the past 15 months, accelerating holdco automation.

05The Indies Up Close panel on 23 September 2026 was the first collective on-record response from Australian indie leaders.

## What the leaders said and who said it

On 23 September 2026, Independent Media Agencies Australia (IMAA) gathered senior figures from four independent agencies at the Gallery Room of the State Library of New South Wales for its inaugural Indies Up Close event.[\[1\]](https://theimaa.com.au/indies-up-close/?ref=promptthemarket.com) The panel included Marilla Akkermans (Founder and Managing Director, Equality Media + Marketing), Stephen Fisher (Managing Partner and CEO, Hatched Media), Margie Reid (CEO and Partner, Thinkerbell), and Justin Ladmore (Chief Media Officer and Partner, Enigma).[\[2\]](https://www.bandt.com.au/the-sector-is-in-for-a-rough-ride-indie-leaders-sound-warning-on-ai-as-capability-gap-with-holdcos-disappears/?ref=promptthemarket.com)

Ladmore said "the capability gap between indies and holding companies has largely disappeared." Akkermans said: "The sector is in for a rough ride over the next 12 months."[\[2\]](https://www.bandt.com.au/the-sector-is-in-for-a-rough-ride-indie-leaders-sound-warning-on-ai-as-capability-gap-with-holdcos-disappears/?ref=promptthemarket.com)

Indies Up Close was described as the first time senior indie leaders had spoken collectively and on the record about what the holdco AI push means for their businesses. It landed in the middle of the 2026 agency review season, when Australian marketers are actively choosing between holdco and independent partners.

## The holdco platforms closing the gap

Three integrated AI platforms have either launched or been significantly rebuilt within the past two years. Each targets a different part of the agency value chain, and together they cover most of it.

Publicis Groupe introduced CoreAI on 25 January 2024, unifying 2.3 billion consumer profiles alongside content and performance data under a single AI-powered system spanning media, creative, production and operations.[\[3\]](https://www.publicisgroupe.com/en/news/press-releases/after-another-record-year-ahead-of-expectations-publicis-unveils-ai-strategy-to-lead-group-into-its-second-century?ref=promptthemarket.com) No independent agency accumulates that kind of proprietary data asset through headcount or hustle.

WPP launched WPP Open Pro on 23 October 2025 as a self-service agentic platform, meaning software that can initiate and complete tasks without a human approving each step, integrating AI-powered planning, content creation and campaign publishing into a single interface.[\[4\]](https://www.wpp.com/en/news/2025/10/wpp-unveils-wpp-open-pro?ref=promptthemarket.com) Omnicom relaunched Omni on 7 January 2026 as an autonomous agentic AI operating system, pulling together identity data, media buying and performance measurement across a single platform.[\[5\]](https://www.omc.com/newsroom/omnicom-unveils-the-new-omni-an-ai-driven-marketing-intelligence-platform-delivering-measurable-sales-growth-for-brands?ref=promptthemarket.com)

WPP Open Pro, launched in October 2025, gives clients direct self-service access to agentic AI across the full campaign workflow, from brief through to publishing. Self-service means holding companies can now deliver at scale without proportionally scaling their people costs.

## What it means if you're a marketer picking an agency

Holding companies have long sold their technology, data and global buying power. Independents have sold senior attention, accountability and speed.[\[1\]](https://theimaa.com.au/indies-up-close/?ref=promptthemarket.com)

The panel's point was that holdco AI platforms now offer speed and personalisation at scale, which were two of the reasons marketers chose independents.

For a marketer running an agency review, that means asking an independent what it offers beyond access to AI tools, and asking a holding company who will actually work on the account. Indies Up Close is scheduled as a recurring IMAA forum, with the next edition to be confirmed after the 23 September 2026 gathering.[\[1\]](https://theimaa.com.au/indies-up-close/?ref=promptthemarket.com)

SOURCES & CITATIONS

1. [Indies Up Close, IMAA](https://theimaa.com.au/indies-up-close/?ref=promptthemarket.com)
2. [Indie leaders sound warning on AI as capability gap with holdcos disappears](https://www.bandt.com.au/the-sector-is-in-for-a-rough-ride-indie-leaders-sound-warning-on-ai-as-capability-gap-with-holdcos-disappears/?ref=promptthemarket.com)
3. [Publicis Groupe unveils CoreAI strategy](https://www.publicisgroupe.com/en/news/press-releases/after-another-record-year-ahead-of-expectations-publicis-unveils-ai-strategy-to-lead-group-into-its-second-century?ref=promptthemarket.com)
4. [WPP unveils WPP Open Pro](https://www.wpp.com/en/news/2025/10/wpp-unveils-wpp-open-pro?ref=promptthemarket.com)
5. [Omnicom unveils the new Omni](https://www.omc.com/newsroom/omnicom-unveils-the-new-omni-an-ai-driven-marketing-intelligence-platform-delivering-measurable-sales-growth-for-brands?ref=promptthemarket.com)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the Indies Up Close event?

Indies Up Close is an industry forum organised by Independent Media Agencies Australia (IMAA). Its inaugural edition was held on 23 September 2026 at the State Library of New South Wales in Sydney, bringing together senior independent agency leaders to discuss client expectations, AI adoption and emerging market trends.

What AI platforms are the major holding companies using?

Publicis Groupe launched CoreAI in January 2024, drawing on 2.3 billion consumer profiles. WPP launched WPP Open Pro in October 2025 as a self-service agentic platform covering planning, content and campaign publishing. Omnicom relaunched Omni in January 2026 as an autonomous agentic AI operating system integrating identity, media buying and performance measurement.

Why does this matter for Australian marketers choosing an agency now?

The 2026 agency review season is underway. The technology gap that once clearly favoured holding companies has narrowed according to indie leaders themselves, which changes the basis on which marketers should be comparing holdco and independent agency proposals.

[Xaviery Malinao](https://www.promptthemarket.com/xaviery-malinao/)

Xaviery Malinao writes for Prompt the Market on how brands and agencies are adapting to answer engines, drawing on Bushnote's work with clients across search, AI search and content.