Carat is saddened to hear of the death, at the age of 87, of Gilbert Gross, considered to be the originator of the media agency and the founder of the Carat network.
Launching his start-up in 1969 in Paris, Gilbert Gross changed the face of the communications sector in France, before replicating his model around the world. His visionary concept of the media agency has shaped the industry internationally for advertisers, media and communication groups. In two decades, with his brother Francis, Gilbert grew the Carat network, expanding into over 140 countries. Carat became part of the UK media group Aegis Media in 1988 and subsequently, the Japanese communications group Dentsu in 2013. Carat remains the largest media agency group in the Dentsu Aegis Network
Christine Removille, Global President of Carat said of the news, "Gilbert’s passion and belief in the power of media led to a revolution in our industry – first in France and then around the globe. There are over 10,000 people in the Carat family that owe him a great debt and his legacy is a huge source of inspiration as we look towards the continued transformation of media and our business.”
Gilbert Gross was not only an innovative entrepreneur, he was an adventurer and an investor in audio-visual media in the 1980s, a helicopter pilot and Officer of the Legion of Honor. He was also an outstanding card player, becoming the first Frenchman to be crowned world champion poker in Las Vegas in 1988.
Gilbert Gross passed away surrounded by his family at his home in Neuilly sur Seine on Wednesday, March 27, 2019.