CommonHealth Promotes Two in Marketing Services; Organization Increases Focus on Corporate Communications.

PARSIPPANY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 15, 1999--

CommonHealth, the world's largest healthcare-communications resource and a WPP Group (LSE:WPPL.L; NASDAQ/ADR:WPPGY) company, today announced the promotion of two professionals in its Marketing Services department.

Andrea Strout advances to senior vice president, director, Marketing Services, reporting to CommonHealth Chief Innovative Officer Stacey Singer. Prior to joining CommonHealth in 1998 as director of Editorial Services, Ms. Strout was a vice president at Hill and Knowlton in New York, a sister company of CommonHealth, where she worked for eight years. She tenured six years with the firm's Media department before joining the company's Health and Pharmaceutical Practice, now a part of the CommonHealth network.

In her new role, Ms. Strout is charged with overseeing Marketing Services, which includes Corporate Communications.

Ms. Strout has worked as a professional writer for more than 20 years. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and the Chicago Tribune, among other outlets. As a member of the Hill and Knowlton Health and Pharmaceutical Practice, Ms. Strout gained familiarity with numerous therapeutic categories through her written work on oncology, anti-infective, diabetes, HIV, contraceptive and biotechnology products. She was also responsible for managing the firm's American Red Cross account.

Beth Porteous, a CommonHealth employee since 1989, has been promoted to senior director, corporate communications. Prior to joining the department, Ms. Porteous served as director of the Meeting Planning department for the organization's ProCom International division. She gained healthcare-advertising experience while working at Thomas Ferguson Associates, another CommonHealth company, and tenured as director of Symposia at Boron LePore & Associates of Fair Lawn, N.J.

As senior director of corporate communications, Ms. Porteous is responsible for overseeing corporate events and managing media relations and employee communications.

CommonHealth comprises Adient, CommonHealth Australia, CommonHealth Europe, CommonHealth Kyowa, Enterprise IG Health, Gowers Advertising, Health Learning Systems, the Hill and Knowlton Health and Pharmaceutical Practice, the OZM Group and a partnership in China with the Ogilvy Healthcare Network, ProCom International, The Conectics Group, The Quantum Group, The Xchange Group and Thomas Ferguson Associates.

Med Ad News reported recently that "one (healthcare communications) model has emerged with distinction: CommonHealth's organization," adding that the company offers clients "the most complete and flexible consortium of services."