Publicis head sees Web goal reached ahead of target

PARIS (Reuters) - Publicis (PUBP.PA) expects to hit its goal of making 25 percent of sales from the Web and the same proportion from emerging markets ahead of its target date of 2010, the French advertising group's chief executive said.

"In the first three months of the year, 18 percent of our sales came from the (Internet) and the interactive sector," Maurice Levy told business daily La Tribune in an interview to appear in Monday's edition, and released ahead of publication.

"We had fixed the objective of reaching 25 percent by 2010 and we will make it. The same thing goes for emerging markets, we're already at 21.3 percent. We'll reach the 25 percent with no problem," he said.

Asked whether the targets could be reached before 2010, Levy said: "In both cases, I hope well before 2010. What would be the point of fixing objectives if it's not to beat them?"

Levy said the group's position in the Internet and digital sector had been strengthened by its recent acquisition of digital ad company Digitas last year.

He said its cooperation deal with Google (GOOG.O) also offered "strong potential," but he gave no details.

Levy said Publicis had some 3 billion euros ($4.60 billion) in cash or available credit lines for possible acquisitions.

"Today we're mainly interested in the digital sector," he said, but added: "the acquisitions to be made are very modest."

But he said there was more work to be done in emerging markets, where it was in a good position.

"We have quite a lot of growth and some investments to make in this area," he said.

(Reporting by James Mackenzie, editing by Maureen Bavdek)