Interpublic reveals stake in Facebook

Advertising group Interpublic has revealed that it owns a small (just less than a half a per cent) stake in Facebook.

The company, which owns McCann Erickson and other agencies, is thought to own a stake worth between $200 to $300 million, depending on the actual size of the share and Facebook’s valuation.

The group, led by chief executive Michael Roth, bought the share for less than $5 million in 2006, according to the FT.

Interpublic won the rights to buy a stake in the social network after committing to spend $10 million for its clients on Facebook.

At the time, Facebook was valued between $1 and $2 billion. It is now thought to be worth around $50 billion.

Last year, Interpublic’s revenues totalled $6.53 billion.