Publicis Groupe announced the launch of Denuo, a new strategic initiative designed to anticipate the rapidly changing digital, interactive and mobile communication environment.

Denuo will be led by Rishad Tobaccowala, chief innovation officer of Publicis Groupe Media (PGM) and will have offices in Chicago and New York.

Tobaccowala has picked entrepreneurial partners such as Nick Pahade, formerly president of WPP's Beyond Interactive and managing director of Media:com digital, to be a part of the new business.

"The creation of Denuo is a very important strategic decision for our Groupe," says Maurice Levy, CEO of Publicis Groupe. "We are of course already very present in the digital and interactive universe and have continuously pushed the envelope with various important marketing innovations. With Denuo, we aim to place the entire Groupe at the very cutting edge of innovation-- for the benefit of our clients, by helping get the most for their brands in this new world, and for the benefit of our Groupe, in identifying investment opportunities at a very early stage.