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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                              -------------------

                                    FORM 10-K

                Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the fiscal year ended                                 Commission file number
December 31, 2000                                                  1-6686

                              -------------------

                    THE INTERPUBLIC GROUP OF COMPANIES, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         Delaware                                              13-1024020
(State or other jurisdiction of                            (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                           Identification  No.)

1271 Avenue of the Americas                                     10020
New York, New York                                            (Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive offices)

                                 (212) 399-8000
               Registrant's telephone number, including area code

           Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

                                                        Name of each exchange on
Title of each class                                        which registered
- -------------------                                     ------------------------
Common Stock                                            New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:  None

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the  preceding 12 months (or for such  shorter  period that the  registrant  was
required  to file  such  reports),  and  (2) has  been  subject  to such  filing
requirements for the past 90 days. Yes X  . No   .
                                      ---     ---


Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent  filers  pursuant to Item 405
of Regulation S-K (Section 229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and
will not be  contained,  to the best of  Registrant's  knowledge,  in definitive
proxy or information  statements  incorporated  by reference in Part III of this
Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.___.



The  aggregate   market  value  of  the   registrant's   voting  stock  held  by
non-affiliates of the registrant was $10,934,268,765 as of March 27, 2001.

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant's classes of
common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

Common Stock outstanding at March 27, 2001:  312,407,679 shares.


                       DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

1.   Portions of the Annual Report to  Stockholders  for the year ended December
     31, 2000 are incorporated by reference in Parts I and II.

2.   Portions of the Proxy Statement for the 2001 Annual Meeting of Stockholders
     are incorporated by reference in Parts I and III.





                                     PART I

Item 1.    Business
           --------

     The Interpublic  Group of Companies,  Inc. was  incorporated in Delaware in
September 1930 under the name of  McCann-Erickson  Incorporated as the successor
to the advertising  agency  businesses  founded in 1902 by A.W.  Erickson and in
1911 by Harrison K. McCann.  It has operated  under the  Interpublic  name since
January 1961. As used in this Annual Report,  the  "Registrant" or "Interpublic"
refers to The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. while the "Company" refers to
Interpublic and its subsidiaries.

     Interpublic  is a  group  of  advertising  and  specialized  marketing  and
communications  service  companies  that  together  represent one of the largest
resources of marketing  and  advertising  expertise in the world.  Interpublic's
agencies and allied companies  operate in more than 650 offices in 127 countries
around the world and employ over 48,000 people.

     Interpublic's  business  is  conducted  throughout  the  world  principally
through two  advertising and specialized  marketing and  communication  services
systems,  McCann-Erickson  WorldGroup  and The  Lowe  Group,  plus a  number  of
additional  marketing  communications and marketing  services  networks,  all as
described below.

     MCCANN-ERICKSON    WORLDGROUP   is   the   leading   worldwide    marketing
communications  company that  includes  McCann-Erickson  Worldwide,  the world's
largest advertising agency network,  as well as specialized  companies providing
relationship (direct) marketing,  experiential (event) marketing, brand strategy
and  identity  development,  healthcare  communications  and  e-consultancy  and
services.

     THE LOWE GROUP with its flagship arm, Lowe Lintas & Partners Worldwide,  is
one of the  largest  advertising  agency  networks  in the world.  The  agency's
world-class creative reputation has been recognized with a number of prestigious
industry awards.


     The  other   domestic   stand-alone   advertising   agencies  that  operate
autonomously,  but are aligned with the foregoing  Interpublic networks include:
Campbell-Ewald, Campbell Mithun, Carmichael Lynch, Dailey & Associates, Deutsch,
Gotham, Hill Holliday (including GMO/Hill Holliday),  The Martin Agency,  Mullen
(including Mullen/LHC) and Suissa Miller.

     The  principal  functions of an  advertising  agency are to plan and create
advertising  programs for its clients and to place  advertising in various media
such as television,  cinema, radio, magazines,  newspapers, direct mail, outdoor
and  interactive   electronic  media.  Planning  advertising  programs  involves
analyzing  the  market  for the  particular  product or  service,  creating  the
appropriate  advertising  campaign to convey the agreed-upon benefit or message,
and choosing the appropriate media to reach the desired market most effectively.

     The advertising  agency develops a communication  strategy and then creates
an advertising  program,  within the limits imposed by the client's  advertising
budget,  and  places  orders  for space or time  with the  media  that have been
selected.

     In order to meet the  growing and  changing  needs of our client  base,  we
offer many other marketing and media related  services  through our ownership of
companies that are closely related to our advertising business including:

     DRAFTWORLDWIDE  is one of the world's  largest global  marketing  agencies,
specializing in brand building, direct and promotional marketing.

     INITIATIVE  MEDIA  WORLDWIDE  is  the  world's  largest  independent  media
management  and media  buying  company,  providing  media  planning  and  buying
services at all levels.

     OCTAGON is Interpublic's global sports marketing unit providing sponsorship
and sports  marketing  consultancy,  event  management  and  ownership,  athlete
representation ownership,  sports television programming,  the production,  sale
and  distribution  of sports  television  rights  globally and the management of
global motor sports circuits and events.

     NFO WORLDGROUP is the largest  custom  research firm in North America and a
leading provider of research-based marketing information.

     THE ALLIED  COMMUNICATIONS  GROUP is Interpublic's  leading-edge  marketing
services group. The Group's companies provide the Interpublic agencies and their
clients with a variety of  specialized  communications  and  marketing  services
including public relations,  marketing research, event creation,  management and
consulting services.  This group is comprised of the following  autonomously run
companies:

     THE GLOBAL PUBLIC  RELATIONS GROUP includes two powerful  public  relations
companies: Weber Shandwick Worldwide, the largest global public relations agency
and  Golin/Harris  International,  one of the ten largest U.S. public  relations
company.

     ISO HEALTHCARE GROUP is a multinational  healthcare  management  consulting
firm, specializing in growth strategies for leading pharmaceutical,  biotech and
medical device companies.

     JACK MORTON WORLDWIDE  creates,  produces and coordinates live meetings and
events, environments, video, digital media and learning programs.


     In addition to domestic  operations,  the  Company  provides  services  for
clients whose business is  international  in scope, as well as for clients whose
business is  restricted to a single  country or a small number of countries.  It
has offices in Canada as well as in one or more cities in each of the  following
countries:


                EUROPE, AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
                ----------------------------------

Austria            Greece          Morocco         Slovakia
Azerbaijan         Hungary         Namibia         Slovenia
Bahrain            Iceland         Netherlands     South Africa
Belgium            Israel          Nigeria         Spain
Bulgaria           Ireland         Norway          Sweden
Cameroon           Italy           Oman            Switzerland
Croatia            Ivory Coast     Pakistan        Tunisia
Czech Republic     Jordan          Poland          Turkey
Denmark            Kazakhstan      Portugal        Ukraine
Egypt              Kenya           Qatar           United Arab Emirates
Estonia            Kuwait          Romania         United Kingdom
Finland            Latvia          Russia          Uzbekistan
France             Lebanon         Saudi Arabia    Zambia
Germany            Mauritius       Senegal         Zimbabwe


                   LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
                   -------------------------------

Argentina      Colombia                 Guatemala       Peru
Barbados       Costa Rica               Honduras        Puerto Rico
Bermuda        Dominican Republic       Jamaica         Trinidad
Brazil         Ecuador                  Mexico          Uruguay
Chile          El Salvador              Panama          Venezuela


                      ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
                      --------------------

Australia      Korea                 Philippines        Taiwan
Hong Kong      Malaysia              Singapore          Thailand
India          Nepal                 Sri Lanka          Vietnam
Indonesia      New Zealand           South Korea
Japan          People's Republic
                  of China


     Operations  in the  foregoing  countries  are  carried  on by  one or  more
operating companies, at least one of which is either wholly owned by Interpublic
or a subsidiary or is a company in which  Interpublic or a subsidiary owns a 51%
interest or more, except in Malawi and Nepal,  where Interpublic or a subsidiary
holds a minority interest.

     The Company also offers services in Albania,  Aruba,  the Bahamas,  Belize,
Bolivia, Cambodia, Gabon, Ghana, Grand Cayman, Guadeloupe,  Guam, Guyana, Haiti,
Reunion, Ivory Coast, Martinique,  Nicaragua, Nigeria, Paraguay, Surinam, Uganda
and Zaire through  association  arrangements  with local  agencies  operating in
those countries.


     For information concerning revenues and long-lived assets on a geographical
basis for each of the last three years, reference is made to Note 12: Geographic
Areas of the Notes to the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  in the Company's
Annual Report to Stockholders  for the year ended December 31, 2000,  which Note
is hereby incorporated by reference.

DEVELOPMENTS IN 2000
- --------------------

     The Company completed a number of acquisitions within the United States and
abroad in 2000.

     See  Note  4 to  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  incorporated  by
reference in this Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of acquisitions.

REVENUE
- -------

     The  Company  generates   revenue  from  planning,   creating  and  placing
advertising   in  various   media  and  from   planning  and   executing   other
communications or marketing programs.  Historically, the commission customary in
the industry was 15% of the gross charge  ("billings") for advertising  space or
time;  more recently  lower  commissions  have been  negotiated,  but often with
additional  incentives paid for better  performance.  For example,  an incentive
component  is  frequently   included  in  arrangements  with  clients  based  on
improvements  in an  advertised  brand's  awareness or image,  or increases in a
client's  sales or market  share of the products or services  being  advertised.
Under commission arrangements,  media bill the Company at their gross rates. The
Company bills these amounts to its clients,  remits the net charges to the media
and retains the balance as its  commission.  Some  clients,  however,  prefer to
compensate the Company on a fee basis,  under which the Company bills its client
for the net  charges  billed by the media plus an  agreed-upon  fee.  These fees
usually are calculated to reflect the Company's  hourly rates and  out-of-pocket
expenses  incurred on the  client's  behalf,  plus  proportional  overhead and a
profit mark-up.

     Normally,  the Company,  like other agencies,  is primarily responsible for
paying the media with respect to firm  contracts for  advertising  time or space
placed on its clients' behalf. This is a problem only if the client is unable to
pay the Company  because of insolvency or bankruptcy.  The Company makes serious
efforts to reduce the risk from a client's  insolvency,  including  (1) carrying
out credit clearances,  (2) requiring in some cases payment of media in advance,
or (3) agreeing with the media that the Company will be solely liable to pay the
media only after the client has paid the Company for the media charges.

     The  Company  also  receives  commissions  from  clients for  planning  and
supervising  work done by outside  contractors  in the physical  preparation  of
finished  print  advertisements  and the  production  of  television  and  radio
commercials  and other forms of  advertising.  This  commission  is  customarily
17.65% of the outside contractor's net charge, which is the same as 15.0% of the
outside contractor's total charges including  commission.  With the expansion of
negotiated fees, the terms on which outstanding  contractors' charges are billed
are  subject  to  wide  variations  and  even  include  in  some  instances  the
elimination of commissions entirely, provided that there are adequate negotiated
fees.


     The Company also derives revenue in many other ways, including the planning
and  placement  in  media  of  advertising  produced  by  unrelated  advertising
agencies;  the  maintenance  of  specialized  media  placement  facilities;  the
creation and publication of brochures,  billboards,  point of sale materials and
direct  marketing  pieces  for  clients;   the  planning  and  carrying  out  of
specialized  marketing  research;  public  relations  campaigns,   creating  and
managing special events at which clients'  products are featured;  and designing
and carrying out interactive programs for special uses.

     The five clients of the Company that made the largest revenue  contribution
in 2000 accounted  individually for  approximately  1.6% to 7.3% of such revenue
and in the  aggregate  accounted  for over  approximately  15% of such  revenue.
Twenty clients of the Company  accounted for  approximately 26% of such revenue.
Based on revenue,  the five  largest  clients of the Company are General  Motors
Corporation,  Nestle,  Unilever  and  Johnson & Johnson and  Coca-Cola.  General
Motors  Corporation  first became a client of one of the  Company's  agencies in
1916 in the United States.  Predecessors  of several of the Lintas agencies have
supplied  advertising  services to Unilever since 1893. The client  relationship
with Nestle began in 1940 in Argentina. While the loss of the entire business of
one of the Company's five largest  clients might have a material  adverse effect
upon the business of the Company,  the Company believes that it is very unlikely
that the entire business of any of these clients would be lost at the same time,
because it  represents  several  different  brands or divisions of each of these
clients in a number of geographical markets - in each case through more than one
of the Company's agency systems.

     Representation   of  a  client  rarely  means  that  the  Company   handles
advertising  for all brands or product  lines of the client in all  geographical
locations.  Any client  may  transfer  its  business  from an agency  within the
Company to a competing  agency,  and a client may reduce its marketing budget at
any time.

     The Company's  agencies in many instances have written contracts with their
clients.  As  is  customary  in  the  industry,   these  contracts  provide  for
termination  by either party on  relatively  short  notice,  usually 90 days but
sometimes shorter or longer. In 2000,  however,  21% of revenue was derived from
clients that had been associated  with one or more of the Company's  agencies or
their predecessors for 20 or more years.

PERSONNEL
- ---------

     As of January 1, 2001, the Company employed  approximately  48,200 persons,
of whom  nearly  20,100  were  employed  in the  United  States.  Because of the
personal service character of the marketing communications business, the quality
of personnel  is of crucial  importance  to  continuing  success.  There is keen
competition  for  qualified  employees.   Interpublic   considers  its  employee
relations to be satisfactory.

     The  Company  has an active  program for  training  personnel.  The program
includes  meetings and seminars  throughout the world. It also involves training
personnel in its offices in New York and in its larger offices worldwide.


COMPETITION AND OTHER FACTORS
- -----------------------------

     The  advertising  agency and other marketing  communications  and marketing
services  businesses are highly  competitive.  The Company's  agencies and media
services must compete with other  agencies and with other  providers of creative
or media  services which are not themselves  advertising  agencies,  in order to
maintain existing client relationships and to obtain new clients. Competition in
the  advertising  agency  business  depends  to a large  extent on the  client's
perception of the quality of an agency's "creative product". An agency's ability
to  serve  clients,   particularly  large  international  clients,  on  a  broad
geographic basis is also an important  competitive  consideration.  On the other
hand, because an agency's  principal asset is its people,  freedom of entry into
the business is almost unlimited and quite small agencies are, on occasion, able
to take all or some portion of a client's account from a much larger competitor.

     Moreover,  increasing size bring some limitations to an agency's  potential
for securing new business,  because many clients prefer not to be represented by
an agency that represents a competitor.  Also,  clients  frequently wish to have
different products represented by different agencies.  The fact that the Company
owns two separate  worldwide  agency systems and interests in other  advertising
agencies gives it additional competitive opportunities.

     The  advertising  and  marketing  communications  businesses  is subject to
government  regulation,  both domestic and foreign. There has been an increasing
tendency  in the  United  States  on the part of  advertisers  to  resort to the
courts, industry and self-regulatory bodies to challenge comparative advertising
on the grounds that the  advertising is false and deceptive.  Through the years,
there has been a continuing  expansion of specific  rules,  prohibitions,  media
restrictions,  labeling disclosures and warning requirements with respect to the
advertising  for certain  products.  Representatives  within certain  government
bodies,  both  domestic and foreign,  continue to initiate  proposals to ban the
advertising of specific  products and to impose taxes on or deny  deductions for
advertising  which,  if  successful,  may have an adverse  effect on advertising
expenditures.

     The international operations of the Company still remain exposed to certain
risks which affect foreign  operations of all kinds, such as local  legislation,
monetary  devaluation,  exchange  control  restrictions  and unstable  political
conditions. In addition, international advertising agencies are still subject to
ownership  restrictions  in certain  countries  because they are  considered  an
integral factor in the communications process.

STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING DISCLOSURE
- ----------------------------------------------

     Certain  sections of this report,  including  "Business",  "Competition and
Other Factors" and "Management's  Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations" contain forward looking statements  concerning future
events and developments  that involve risks and  uncertainties,  including those
associated  with the effect of national and regional  economic  conditions,  the
ability of the Company to attract new clients and retain existing  clients,  the
financial  success of clients of the Company,  other  developments of clients of
the  Company,  and  developments  from  changes  in  the  regulatory  and  legal
environment for advertising agencies around the world.


Item 2.    Properties
           ----------

     Most of the operations of the Company are conducted in leased premises, and
its physical property consists primarily of leasehold  improvements,  furniture,
fixtures and equipment.  These facilities are located in various cities in which
the Company does business  throughout the world.  However,  subsidiaries  of the
Company own office buildings in Garden City, New York; Blair, Nebraska;  Warren,
Michigan;  Frankfurt,  Germany;  Sao Paulo,  Brazil;  Lima,  Peru;  Mexico City,
Mexico;  Santiago,  Chile; and Brussels,  Belgium and own office condominiums in
Buenos Aires, Argentina;  Bogota, Colombia; Manila, the Philippines; in England,
subsidiaries  of  the  Company  own  office  buildings  in  London,  Manchester,
Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent.

     The Company's  ownership of the office  building in Frankfurt is subject to
three  mortgages  which  became  effective  on or  about  February  1993.  These
mortgages  terminate  at  different  dates,  with the last to expire in February
2003.  Reference  is  made to Note  10:  Long-Term  Debt,  of the  Notes  to the
Consolidated Financial Statements in the Company's Annual Report to Stockholders
for the year ended  December  31,  2000,  which Note is hereby  incorporated  by
reference.


Item 3.    Legal Proceedings
           -----------------

     Neither the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries are subject to any pending
material legal proceedings.


Item 4.    Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
           ---------------------------------------------------

     Not applicable.


EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT
- ------------------------------------

     There  follows the  information  disclosed in  accordance  with Item 401 of
Regulation S-K of the Securities and Exchange  Commission (the  "Commission") as
required  by Item 10 of Form 10-K with  respect  to  executive  officers  of the
Registrant.


Name                        Age              Office
- ----                        ---              ------

John J. Dooner, Jr. (1)     52    Chairman of the Board, President and
                                  Chief Executive Officer

Sean F. Orr (1)             46    Executive Vice President, Chief
                                  Financial Officer

Nicholas J. Camera          54    Senior Vice President, General
                                  Counsel and Secretary

Thomas J. Dowling           49    Senior Vice President-Financial
                                  Administration

C. Kent Kroeber             62    Senior Vice President-Human
                                  Resources

Barry R. Linsky             59    Executive Vice President-Planning
                                  and Business Development

Frank B. Lowe (1)           59    Chairman of the Board and Chief
                                  Executive Officer of Lowe Lintas
                                  and Partners

Frederick Molz              44    Vice President and Controller

Bruce S. Nelson             49    Executive Vice President and Chief
                                  Marketing Officer

Susan V. Watson             48    Senior Vice President-Investor Relations

- ----------
[FN]

(1)      Also a Director



     There is no family relationship among any of the executive officers.

     The employment  histories for the past five years of Messrs.  Dooner,  Lowe
and Orr are  incorporated by reference to the Proxy Statement for  Interpublic's
2001 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

     Mr. Camera joined  Interpublic in May, 1993. He was elected Vice President,
Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary in June, 1994, Vice President,
General  Counsel and  Secretary in December,  1995,  and Senior Vice  President,
General Counsel and Secretary in February, 2000.

     Mr. Dowling was elected Senior Vice  President-Financial  Administration of
Interpublic effective February,  2001. He joined Interpublic in January, 2000 as
Vice President and General Auditor.

     Mr. Kroeber joined Interpublic in January,  1966 as Manager of Compensation
and Training. He was elected Vice President in 1970 and Senior Vice President in
May, 1980.

     Mr. Linsky joined  Interpublic in January,  1991 when he was elected Senior
Vice  President-Planning  and Business  Development.  Prior to that time, he was
Executive Vice President, Account Management of Lowe & Partners, Inc. Mr. Linsky
was elected to that position in July,  1980,  when the  corporation was known as
The  Marschalk  Company and was a  subsidiary  of  Interpublic.  Mr.  Linsky was
elected Executive Vice President of Interpublic in February 2001.

     Mr. Molz was elected Vice President and Controller of Interpublic effective
January,  1999.  He joined  Interpublic  in August,  1982,  and his most  recent
position was Senior Vice President-Financial Operations of Ammirati Puris Lintas
Worldwide, a subsidiary of Interpublic, since April, 1994. He also held previous
positions in the Interpublic Controller's Department and Tax Department.

     Mr.  Nelson  joined  Interpublic  in  September,  2000  as  Executive  Vice
President,   Chief   Marketing   Officer.   Prior  to  that  he  had  pursued  a
multi-disciplinary  career with  McCann-Erickson  for 19 years before leaving as
Executive  Vice  President,  Director  of  Worldwide  Accounts  to serve as Vice
Chairman, Chief Knowledge Officer at Young & Rubicam Inc.


     Ms.  Watson  joined  Interpublic  in October  2000.  Prior to  joining  the
company,  she was Vice  President,  Investor  Relations  at  PepsiCo,  Inc.  and
previously  was employed by Nielsen Media  Research and Gannett Co. in a similar
capacity.




                                 PART II


Item 5.   Market for the Registrant's Common Equity and Related Stockholder
          -----------------------------------------------------------------
          Matters
          -------
     The response to this Item is incorporated:

     (i)  by reference to the Registrant's Annual Report to Stockholders for the
          year ended  December  31, 2000.  See the  heading:  Results by Quarter
          (Unaudited),  and Note 2:  Stockholders'  Equity,  of the Notes to the
          Consolidated  Financial  Statements and information  under the heading
          Transfer Agent and Registrar for Common Stock;

     (ii) On October 5, 2000 the Registrant  issued 20,764 shares of Interpublic
          Stock and paid  Pounds  Sterling  1.19  million  in cash to the former
          shareholders  of a company as part of the initial  payment for 100% of
          the shares of the company  which was acquired in the third  quarter of
          2000. The shares of Interpublic Stock were valued at US$726,102 at the
          date of issuance.  The shares of Interpublic  Stock were issued by the
          Registrant  without  registration  in an "off shore  transaction"  and
          solely  to  "non  U.S.  persons"  in  reliance  on  Rule  903(b)3)  of
          Regulation S under the Securities Act.

     (iii)On November 9, 2000, the Registrant issued 9,913 shares of Interpublic
          Stock and paid  US$1,000,000 in cash to the Seller of the business and
          assets of a company  representing the  consideration  paid at Closing.
          The shares of Interpublic  Stock were valued at US$400,000 at the date
          of  issuance.  The  shares of  Interpublic  Stock  were  issued by the
          Registrant without  registration in reliance on Section 4(2) under the
          Securities Act, based on the  sophistication of the acquired company's
          former stockholder.

     (iv) On  December  31,  2000,  the  Registrant   issued  53,666  shares  of
          Interpublic Stock to former shareholders in respect of the downpayment
          for the  acquisition  of 100% of a company.  The shares of Interpublic
          Stock were valued at US$2,150,000 at the date of issuance.  The shares
          of   Interpublic   Stock  were  issued  by  the   Registrant   without
          registration  in reliance on Section  4(2) under the  Securities  Act,
          based  on  the   sophistication  of  the  acquired   company's  former
          stockholder.

     (v)  On  October  24,  2000,  the   Registrant   issued  26,792  shares  of
          Interpublic Stock and paid Austrian Dollars  36,515,274 in cash to the
          former shareholders of a company as part of a deferred payment for 41%
          of the shares of the  company  45% of which was  acquired in the first
          quarter  of 1997.  The  shares of  Interpublic  Stock  were  valued at
          US$1,009,533 at the date of issuance.  The shares of Interpublic Stock
          were issued by the Registrant  without  registration  in an "off shore
          transaction"  and  solely  to "non US  persons"  in  reliance  on Rule
          903(b)(3) of Regulation S under the Securities Act.

     (vi) On  October  24,  2000,  the   Registrant   issued  26,789  shares  of
          Interpublic Stock and paid Austrian Dollars  20,913,157 in cash to the
          former shareholders of a company as part of a deferred payment for the
          remaining  51% of the shares of the company 49% of which was  acquired
          in the first  quarter of 1997.  The shares of  Interpublic  Stock were
          valued  at  US$1,009,533  at the  date  of  issuance.  The  shares  of
          Interpublic Stock were issued by the Registrant  without  registration
          in an "off  shore  transaction"  and  solely  to "non US  persons"  in
          reliance on Rule 903(b)(3) of Regulation S under the Securities Act.

     (vii)On September  14, 2000, in respect of the second  installment  for the
          acquisition  of 80% of the company  acquired in the second  quarter of
          1998, the Registrant issued 5,880 shares of Interpublic Stock and paid
          Swiss Francs 695,752 in cash to the former  shareholders  of a company
          as part of a deferred  payment for the  remaining 51% of the shares of
          the  company 49% of which was  acquired in the first  quarter of 1997.
          The shares of Interpublic  Stock were valued at US$225,542 at the date
          of  issuance.  The  shares of  Interpublic  Stock  were  issued by the
          Registrant  without  registration  in an "off shore  transaction"  and
          solely to "non US persons" in reliance on Rule 903(b)(3) of Regulation
          S under the Securities Act.

     (viii) On November 7, 2000, in respect of the final payment for 31% and 20%
          equity  purchases,  the Registrant issued 35,890 shares of Interpublic
          Stock for the 31% and 62,274 shares of Interpublic  Stock for the 20%.
          The shares of  Interpublic  Stock were valued at  US$3,866,903  at the
          date of issuance.


Item 6.   Selected Financial Data
          -----------------------

     The response to this Item is incorporated by reference to the  Registrant's
Annual  Report to  Stockholders  for the year ended  December 31, 2000 under the
heading Selected Financial Data for Five Years.


Item 7.   Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
          ---------------------------------------------------------------
          Results of Operations
          ---------------------

     The response to this Item is incorporated by reference to the  Registrant's
Annual  Report to  Stockholders  for the year ended  December 31, 2000 under the
heading Management's  Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
of Operations.


Item 7A.   Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
           ----------------------------------------------------------

     The response to this Item is incorporated by reference to the  Registrant's
Annual  Report to  Stockholders  for the year ended  December 31, 2000 under the
heading Management's  Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
of Operations.


Item 8.   Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
          -------------------------------------------

     The  response  to this Item is  incorporated  in part by  reference  to the
Registrant's  Annual Report to Stockholders for the year ended December 31, 2000
under the headings Financial Statements and Notes to the Consolidated  Financial
Statements.  Reference is also made to the Financial  Statement  Schedule listed
under Item 14(a) of this Report on Form 10-K.


Item 9.   Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and
          ---------------------------------------------------------------
          Financial Disclosure
          --------------------

         Not applicable.




                                PART III


Item 10.   Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant
           --------------------------------------------------

     The  information  required by this Item is incorporated by reference to the
Registrant's  Proxy Statement for its 2001 Annual Meeting of  Stockholders  (the
"Proxy  Statement"),  to be filed not later  than 120 days  after the end of the
2000  calendar  year,  except for the  description  of  Interpublic's  Executive
Officers  which  appears in Part I of this Report on Form 10-K under the heading
"Executive Officers of the Registrant".


Item 11.   Executive Compensation
           ----------------------

     The  information  required by this Item is incorporated by reference to the
Proxy  Statement.  Such  incorporation  by  reference  shall  not be  deemed  to
incorporate  specifically  by  reference  the  information  referred  to in Item
402(a)(8) of Regulation S-K.


Item 12.   Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
           --------------------------------------------------------------

     The  information  required by this Item is incorporated by reference to the
Proxy Statement.


Item 13.   Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
           ----------------------------------------------

     The  information  required by this Item is incorporated by reference to the
Proxy  Statement.  Such  incorporation  by  reference  shall  not be  deemed  to
incorporate  specifically  by  reference  the  information  referred  to in Item
402(a)(8) of Regulation S-K.




                                 PART IV


Item 14.   Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedule, and Reports on Form 8-K
           ---------------------------------------------------------------

     (a)  Listed  below  are  all  financial  statements,   financial  statement
schedules and exhibits filed as part of this Report on Form 10-K.

         1.   Financial Statements:

                 See the Index to Financial Statements on page F-1.

         2.   Financial Statement Schedule:

                 See the Index to Financial Statement Schedule on page F-1.

         3.   Exhibits:

     (Numbers used are the numbers  assigned in Item 601 of  Regulation  S-K and
the EDGAR Filer  Manual.  An additional  copy of this exhibit index  immediately
precedes  the  exhibits  filed  with this  Report on Form 10-K and the  exhibits
transmitted to the Commission as part of the electronic filing of the Report.)


Exhibit No.    Description
- -----------    -----------

3    (i)       The Restated  Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant,  as
               amended is  incorporated  by reference to its Report on Form 10-Q
               for the quarter ended June 30, 1999. See  Commission  file number
               1-6686.

     (ii)      The By-Laws of the  Registrant,  amended as of February 19, 1991,
               are  incorporated by reference to its Report on Form 10-K for the
               year ended December 31, 1990. See Commission file number 1-6686.

4    Instruments Defining the Rights of Security Holders.

     (i)       Indenture, dated as of September 16, 1997 between Interpublic and
               The  Bank  of  New  York  is  incorporated  by  reference  to the
               Registrant's  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September
               30, 1998. See Commission file number 1-6686.

     (ii)      The Preferred  Share Purchase  Rights Plan as adopted on July 18,
               1989 is incorporated  by reference to  Registrant's  Registration
               Statement on Form 8-A dated August 1, 1989 (No. 00017904) and, as
               amended, by reference to Registrant's  Registration  Statement on
               Form 8 dated October 3, 1989 (No. 00106686).

10   Material Contracts.

     (a)   Purchase  Agreement,  dated September 10, 1997, among The Interpublic
           Group of  Companies,  Inc.  ("Interpublic"),  Morgan  Stanley  & Co.,
           Incorporated,  Goldman Sachs and Co. and SBC Warburg Dillon Read Inc.
           is incorporated by reference to the Registrant's  Report on Form 10-Q
           for the quarter ended  September 30, 1999. See Commission file number
           1-6686.

     (b)   Employment,  Consultancy  and other  Compensatory  Arrangements  with
           Management.

           Employment   and   Consultancy   Agreements  and  any  amendments  or
           supplements  thereto and other  compensatory  arrangements filed with
           the  Registrant's  Reports on Form 10-K for the years ended  December
           31,  1980  through  December  31, 1998  inclusive,  or filed with the
           Registrant's  Reports on Form 10-Q for the  periods  ended  March 31,
           2000,  June 30,  2000 and  September  30,  2000 are  incorporated  by
           reference  in this Report on Form 10-K.  See  Commission  file number
           1-6686.  Listed below are  agreements  or  amendments  to  agreements
           between the  Registrant  and its executive  officers  which remain in
           effect on and after the date hereof or were executed  during the year
           ended December 31, 2000 and thereafter,  unless previously submitted,
           which are filed as exhibits to this Report on Form 10-K.

           (i)   James R. Heekin
                 ---------------

                 (a)  Employment  Agreement dated as of October 25, 1993 between
                      Interpublic and James R. Heekin.

                 (b)  Executive  Special Benefit  Agreement dated as of January
                      1, 1994 between Interpublic and James R. Heekin.

                 (c)  Executive  Severance Agreement dated as of January 1, 1998
                      between Interpublic and James R. Heekin.

                 (d)  Employment  Agreement  dated as of January 1, 1998 between
                      Interpublic and James R. Heekin.

                 (e)  Executive  Special Benefit  Agreement dated as of February
                      1, 1998 between Interpublic and James R. Heekin.

                 (f)  Supplemental Agreement to an Employment Agreement dated as
                      of March 28, 2000 between Interpublic and James R. Heekin.

                 (g)  Supplemental Agreement to an Executive Severance Agreement
                      dated as of June 1, 2000 between  Interpublic and James R.
                      Heekin.

                 (h)  Executive Special Benefit Agreement dated as of January 1,
                      2000 between Interpublic and James R. Heekin.

           (ii)  Barry R. Linsky
                 ---------------

                 (a)  Supplemental  Agreement  to an Executive  Special  Benefit
                      Agreement  dated as of June 30, 2000  between  Interpublic
                      and Barry R. Linsky.

                 (b)  Executive  Special  Benefit-Income  Replacement  Agreement
                      dated as of June 1, 2000 between  Interpublic and Barry R.
                      Linsky.

                 (c)  Supplemental Agreement dated as of March 26, 2001, between
                      Interpublic and Barry R. Linsky.

           (iii)C. Kent Kroeber
                ---------------

                (a)   Supplemental  Agreement  to an Executive  Special  Benefit
                      Agreement  dated as of June 30, 2000  between  Interpublic
                      and C. Kent Kroeber.

                (b)   Executive  Special  Benefit-Income  Replacement  Agreement
                      dated as of June 1, 2000 between  Interpublic  and C. Kent
                      Kroeber.


           (iv)  Thomas J. Volpe
                 ---------------

                 (a)  Supplemental  Agreement  to an Executive  Special  Benefit
                      Agreement  dated as of June 30, 2000  between  Interpublic
                      and Thomas J. Volpe.

                 (b)  Supplemental    Agreement   to   an   Executive    Special
                      Benefit-Income  Replacement Agreement dated as of June 30,
                      2000 between Interpublic and Thomas J. Volpe.

                 (c)  Executive  Special Benefit Agreement dated as of March 21,
                      2000 between Interpublic and Thomas J. Volpe.

                 (d)  Executive  Special  Benefit-Income  Replacement  Agreement
                      dated as of June 1, 2000 between Interpublic and Thomas J.
                      Volpe.

           (v)   Bruce Nelson
                 ------------

                 (a)  Employment Agreement dated as of September 5, 2000 between
                      Interpublic and Bruce Nelson.

                 (b)  Executive  Special Benefit Agreement dated as of September
                      1, 2000 between Interpublic and Bruce Nelson.

                 (c)  Supplemental Agreement dated as of September 1, 2000 to an
                      Executive Special Benefit Agreement dated as of January 1,
                      1986 between Interpublic and Bruce Nelson.

           (vi)  Frank B. Lowe
                 -------------

                 (a)  Employment  Agreement  dated as of January 1, 2001 between
                      Interpublic and Frank B. Lowe.

                 (b)  Supplemental Agreement to an Employment Agreement dated as
                      of January 2, 2001 between Interpublic and Frank B. Lowe.

                 (c)  Executive  Special  Benefit  Agreement dated as of January
                      15, 2001 between Interpublic and Frank B. Lowe.

     (c)   Executive Compensation Plans.


           (i)    Trust Agreement, dated as of June 1, 1990 between Interpublic,
                  Lintas  Campbell-Ewald  Company,  McCann-Erickson  USA,  Inc.,
                  McCann-Erickson  Marketing,  Inc.,  Lintas,  Inc. and Chemical
                  Bank, as Trustee, is incorporated by reference to Registrant's
                  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year  ended  December  31,
                  1990. See Commission file number 1-6686.

           (ii)   The Stock Option Plan (1988) and the  Achievement  Stock Award
                  Plan  of the  Registrant  are  incorporated  by  reference  to
                  Appendices C and D of the Prospectus dated May 4, 1989 forming
                  part of its Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 33-28143).

           (iii)  The Management  Incentive  Compensation Plan of the Registrant
                  is  incorporated  by reference to the  Registrant's  Report on
                  Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1995.  See Commission
                  file number 1-6686.

           (iv)   The  1986  Stock   Incentive   Plan  of  the   Registrant   is
                  incorporated  by reference to  Registrant's  Annual  Report on
                  Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1993. See Commission
                  file number 1-6686.

           (v)    The 1986 United Kingdom Stock Option Plan of the Registrant is
                  incorporated  by reference to  Registrant's  Annual  Report on
                  Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1992. See Commission
                  file number 1-6686.

           (vi)   The Employee Stock Purchase Plan (1985) of the Registrant,  as
                  amended,  is incorporated by reference to Registrant's  Annual
                  Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  December 31, 1993. See
                  Commission file number 1-6686.

           (vii)  The Long-Term  Performance Incentive Plan of the Registrant is
                  incorporated  by  reference  to  Appendix A of the  Prospectus
                  dated  December  12,  1988  forming  part of its  Registration
                  Statement on Form S-8 (No. 33-25555).

           (viii) Resolution  of the Board of Directors  adopted on February 16,
                  1993,  amending the Long-Term  Performance  Incentive  Plan is
                  incorporated  by reference to  Registrant's  Annual  Report on
                  Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1992. See Commission
                  file number 1-6686.

           (ix)   Resolution  of the Board of Directors  adopted on May 16, 1989
                  amending  the   Long-Term   Performance   Incentive   Plan  is
                  incorporated by reference to Registrant's  Report on Form 10-K
                  for the year ended  December 31,  1989.  See  Commission  file
                  number 1-6686.

           (x)    The  1996  Stock   Incentive   Plan  of  the   Registrant   is
                  incorporated by reference to the  Registrant's  Report on Form
                  10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1996. See Commission  file
                  number 1-6686.

           (xi)   The  1997  Performance  Incentive  Plan of the  Registrant  is
                  incorporated by reference to the  Registrant's  Report on Form
                  10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1997. See Commission  file
                  number 1-6686.

     (d)   Loan Agreements.

           (i)    Other Loan and Guaranty Agreements filed with the Registrant's
                  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the years ended  December  31,
                  1988 and  December 31, 1986 are  incorporated  by reference in
                  this Report on Form 10-K. Other Credit Agreements,  amendments
                  to  various  Credit   Agreements,   Supplemental   Agreements,
                  Termination   Agreements,   Loan  Agreements,   Note  Purchase
                  Agreements, Guarantees and Intercreditor Agreements filed with
                  the  Registrant's  Report  on Form  10-K for the  years  ended
                  December 31, 1989 through  December  31, 1999,  inclusive  and
                  filed with  Registrant's  Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods
                  ended March 31, 2000, June 30, 2000 and September 30, 2000 are
                  incorporated  by reference  into this Report on Form 10-K. See
                  Commission file number 1-6686.

     (e)   Leases.

           Material  leases of premises  are  incorporated  by  reference to the
           Registrant's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the years ended December
           31, 1980 and December 31, 1988. See Commission file number 1-6686.

     (f)   Acquisition Agreement for Purchase of Real Estate.

           Acquisition  Agreement  (in German)  between  Treuhandelsgesellschaft
           Aktiengesellschaft   &  Co.   Grundbesitz  OHG  and   McCann-Erickson
           Deutschland  GmbH  & Co.  Management  Property  KG  ("McCann-Erickson
           Deutschland")   and  the  English   translation  of  the  Acquisition
           Agreement are incorporated by reference to Registrant's Annual Report
           on Form 10-K for the year ended  December  31, 1992.  See  Commission
           file number 1-6686.

      (g)  Mortgage Agreements and Encumbrances.

           (i)    Summaries in German and English of Mortgage Agreements between
                  McCann-Erickson  Deutschland  and  Frankfurter  Hypothekenbank
                  Aktiengesellschaft  ("Frankfurter  Hypothekenbank"),  Mortgage
                  Agreement,  dated  January 22, 1993,  between  McCann-Erickson
                  Deutschland   and   Frankfurter    Hypothekenbank,    Mortgage
                  Agreement,  dated  January 22, 1993,  between  McCann-Erickson
                  Deutschland and  Hypothekenbank  are incorporated by reference
                  to Registrant's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                  December  31,  1993.  See   Commission   file  number  1-6686.
                  Summaries in German and English of Mortgage Agreement, between
                  McCann-Erickson  Deutschland  and  Frankfurter  Sparkasse  and
                  Mortgage   Agreement,   dated   January   7,   1993,   between
                  McCann-Erickson  Deutschland  and  Frankfurter  Sparkasse  are
                  incorporated  by reference to  Registrant's  Annual  Report on
                  Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1992. See Commission
                  file number 1-6686.

           (ii)   Summaries  in  German  and  English  of   Documents   creating
                  Encumbrances  in  favor  of  Frankfurter   Hypothekenbank  and
                  Frankfurter  Sparkasse in connection  with the  aforementioned
                  Mortgage Agreements,  Encumbrance,  dated January 15, 1993, in
                  favor of Frankfurter  Hypothekenbank,  and Encumbrance,  dated
                  January  15,  1993,  in favor  of  Frankfurter  Sparkasse  are
                  incorporated  by reference to  Registrant's  Annual  Report on
                  Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1992. See Commission
                  file number 1-6686.

           (iii)  Loan Agreement (in English and German), dated January 29, 1993
                  between   Lintas   Deutschland   GmbH   and    McCann-Erickson
                  Deutschland  is  incorporated  by  reference  to  Registrant's
                  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year  ended  December  31,
                  1992. See Commission file number 1-6686.

11   Computation of Earnings Per Share.

13   This  Exhibit  includes:  (a)  those  portions  of  the  Annual  Report  to
     Stockholders  for the year  ended  December  31,  2000  which are  included
     therein  under the  following  headings:  Financial  Highlights;  Report of
     Management; Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
     Results of Operations;  Consolidated Balance Sheet;  Consolidated Statement
     of Income;  Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows; Consolidated Statement of
     Stockholders'  Equity  and  Comprehensive  Income;  Notes  to  Consolidated
     Financial Statements (the aforementioned  Consolidated Financial Statements
     together with the Notes to Consolidated  Financial  Statements  hereinafter
     shall be referred to as the "Consolidated Financial Statements"); Report of
     Independent Accountants; Selected Financial Data for Five Years; Results by
     Quarter (Unaudited); and Stockholders Information.

21   Subsidiaries of the Registrant.

23   Consent of Independent Accountants:  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
     Consent of Independent Public Accountants:  J.H. Cohn LLP
     Consent of Independent Accountants:  Arthur Andersen LLP

24   Power of Attorney to sign Form 10-K and resolution of Board of Directors re
     Power of Attorney.

99   The  Company  filed the  following  reports on Form 8-K during the  quarter
     ended December 31, 2000:

     (i)   Senior  Debt  Indenture   dated  as  of  October  20,  2000,  by  The
           Interpublic  Group  of  Companies,  Inc.  and The  Bank of New  York,
           Trustee,  relating to the 7.875%  Notes due 2005 is  incorporated  by
           reference to Exhibit 99.1 of the Registrant's  Form 8-K dated October
           24, 2000.

     (ii)  Underwriting  Agreement dated as of October 17, 2000, relating to the
           7.875% Notes due 2005 is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 of
           the Registrant's Form 8-K dated October 24, 2000.




                                   SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the  requirements of Section 13 of the Securities  Exchange Act
of 1934,  the  Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.


                              THE INTERPUBLIC GROUP OF COMPANIES, INC.
                                             (Registrant)


March 29, 2001                BY: /s/ John J. Dooner, Jr.
                                  ----------------------------------
                                  John J. Dooner, Jr.
                                  Chairman of the Board, President
                                  and Chief Executive Officer




     Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, this
Report  has  been  signed  below  by the  following  persons  on  behalf  of the
Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.


         Name                        Title                        Date
         ----                        -----                        ----


/s/ John J. Dooner, Jr.     Chairman of the Board,          March 29, 2001
- -------------------------   President and Chief
    John J. Dooner, Jr.     Executive Officer (Principal
                            Executive Officer)


/s/ Sean F. Orr             Executive Vice President,        March 29, 2001
- -------------------------   Chief Financial Officer
    Sean F. Orr             (Principal Financial
                            Officer) and Director


/s/ Frank J. Borelli        Director                         March 29,2001
- -------------------------
    Frank J. Borelli


/s/ Reginald K. Brack       Director                         March 29, 2001
- -------------------------
    Reginald K. Brack


/s/ Jill M. Considine       Director                         March 29, 2001
- -------------------------
    Jill M. Considine

/s/ James R. Heekin         Director                         March 29, 2001
- -------------------------
    James R. Heekin


/s/ Frank B. Lowe           Director                         March 29, 2001
- -------------------------
    Frank B. Lowe


/s/ Michael A. Miles        Director                         March 29, 2001
- -------------------------
    Michael A. Miles


/s/ Frederick Molz          Vice President and               March 29, 2001
- -------------------------   Controller (Principal
    Frederick Molz          Accounting Officer)


/s/ Leif H. Olsen           Director                         March 29, 2001
- -------------------------
    Leif H. Olsen


/s/ J. Phillip Samper       Director                         March 29, 2001
- -------------------------
    J. Phillip Samper


By: /s/ Nicholas J. Camera
    ----------------------
        Nicholas J. Camera



                                      F-1

                       INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


The Financial  Statements  appearing under the headings:  Financial  Highlights,
Report  of  Management;   Management's  Discussion  and  Analysis  of  Financial
Condition and Results of Operations, Consolidated Financial Statements, Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements,  Report of Independent Accountants,  Selected
Financial Data for Five Years and Results by Quarter  (Unaudited),  accompanying
the Annual Report to Stockholders for the year ended December 31, 2000, together
with the report  thereon of  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP dated February 26, 2001
are incorporated by reference in this report on Form 10-K. With the exception of
the  aforementioned  information and the information  incorporated in Items 5, 6
and 7, no other data appearing in the Annual Report to Stockholders for the year
ended  December  31,  2000 is deemed to be filed as part of this  report on Form
10-K.

The following  financial  statement  schedule should be read in conjunction with
the  financial  statements in such Annual  Report to  Stockholders  for the year
ended  December 31, 2000.  Financial  statement  schedules  not included in this
report on Form 10-K have been  omitted  because they are not  applicable  or the
required information is shown in the financial statements or the notes thereto.

Separate financial  statements for the companies which are 50% or less owned and
accounted for by the equity method have been omitted because,  considered in the
aggregate  as  a  single  subsidiary,  they  do  not  constitute  a  significant
subsidiary.


                      INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE

                                                            Page
Report of Independent Accountants on
     Financial Statement Schedule                           F-2

Financial Statement Schedule Required to be filed by
         Item 8 of this form:

    II    Valuation and Qualifying Accounts                 F-3






                                      F-2

                      Report of Independent Accountants on
                          Financial Statement Schedule

  To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
  The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc.

Our audits of the consolidated  financial  statements  referred to in our report
dated  February  26,  2001,  except  for Note 15 which is as of March 19,  2001,
appearing in the 2000 Annual Report to Stockholders of The Interpublic  Group of
Companies,   Inc.  (which  report  and  consolidated  financial  statements  are
incorporated  by reference in this Annual  Report on Form 10-K) also included an
audit of the financial  statement  schedule listed in Item 14(a)(2) of this Form
10-K. In our opinion,  this financial statement schedule presents fairly, in all
material  respects,  the  information set forth therein when read in conjunction
with the related consolidated financial statements.


PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
- --------------------------
New York, New York
February 26, 2001



                                      F-3

                                                                     SCHEDULE II

         THE INTERPUBLIC GROUP OF COMPANIES, INC. AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES
                        VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS

              For the Years Ended December 31, 2000, 1999 and 1998

================================================================================

                             (Dollars in thousands)

COLUMN A     COLUMN B      COLUMN C   COLUMN D       COLUMN E           COLUMN F
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                             Additions/(Deductions)
                             ----------------------

                                         Charged
              Balance at  Charged to    to Other                         Balance
               Beginning     Costs &   Accounts-   Deductions-            at End
Description    of Period    Expenses    Describe      Describe         of Period
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Allowance for Doubtful  Accounts - deducted from Receivables in the Consolidated
Balance Sheet:

2000         $60,565       $24,125    $3,630(1)      $(18,717)(3)       $64,923
                                       1,503(5)        (4,792)(4)
                                                       (1,391)(2)


1999         $54,060       $24,013    $5,148(1)      $(23,765)(3)       $60,565
                                       2,934(5)        (1,215)(2)
                                                         (610)(4)

1998         $44,581       $20,421    $6,699(1)      $(17,038)(3)       $54,060
                                       2,111(5)        (3,310)(4)
                                         596(2)

- -------------------
[FN]

  (1)  Allowance for doubtful accounts of acquired and newly consolidated
       companies.
  (2)  Foreign currency translation adjustment.
  (3)  Principally amounts written off.
  (4)  Reversal of previously recorded allowances on accounts receivable.
  (5)  Miscellaneous.



                               INDEX TO DOCUMENTS
                               ------------------



Exhibit No.     Description
- -----------     -----------

3   (i)         The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant,  as
                amended is  incorporated by reference to its Report on Form 10-Q
                for the quarter ended June 30, 1999. See Commission  file number
                1-6686.

    (ii)        The By-Laws of the Registrant,  amended as of February 19, 1991,
                are incorporated by reference to its Report on Form 10-K for the
                year ended December 31, 1990. See Commission file number 1-6686.

4    Instruments Defining the Rights of Security Holders.

     (i)        Indenture,  dated as of September  16, 1997 between  Interpublic
                and The Bank of New York is  incorporated  by  reference  to the
                Registrant's Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September
                30, 1998. See Commission file number 1-6686.

     (ii)       The Preferred  Share Purchase Rights Plan as adopted on July 18,
                1989 is incorporated  by reference to Registrant's  Registration
                Statement on Form 8-A dated August 1, 1989 (No.  00017904)  and,
                as amended, by reference to Registrant's  Registration Statement
                on Form 8 dated October 3, 1989 (No. 00106686).

10   Material Contracts.

     (a)        Purchase   Agreement,   dated  September  10,  1997,  among  The
                Interpublic  Group of Companies,  Inc.  ("Interpublic"),  Morgan
                Stanley  & Co.,  Incorporated,  Goldman  Sachs  and Co.  and SBC
                Warburg  Dillon Read Inc. is  incorporated  by  reference to the
                Registrant's Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September
                30, 1999. See Commission file number 1-6686.

     (b)        Employment, Consultancy and other Compensatory Arrangements with
                Management.

                Employment  and  Consultancy  Agreements  and any  amendments or
                supplements  thereto and other  compensatory  arrangements filed
                with the  Registrant's  Reports on Form 10-K for the years ended
                December 31, 1980 through December 31, 1998 inclusive,  or filed
                with the Registrant's Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended
                March  31,  2000,  June 30,  2000  and  September  30,  2000 are
                incorporated  by  reference  in this  Report on Form  10-K.  See
                Commission  file number  1-6686.  Listed below are agreements or
                amendments  to  agreements   between  the   Registrant  and  its
                executive  officers which remain in effect on and after the date
                hereof or were executed  during the year ended December 31, 2000
                and thereafter,  unless previously submitted, which are filed as
                exhibits to this Report on Form 10-K.

                (i)    James R. Heekin
                       ---------------


                       (a)  Employment  Agreement  dated as of October  25, 1993
                            between Interpublic and James R. Heekin.

                       (b)  Executive  Special  Benefit  Agreement  dated  as of
                            January  1, 1994  between  Interpublic  and James R.
                            Heekin.

                       (c)  Executive Severance Agreement dated as of January 1,
                            1998 between Interpublic and James R. Heekin.

                       (d)  Employment  Agreement  dated as of  January  1, 1998
                            between Interpublic and James R. Heekin.

                       (e)  Executive  Special  Benefit  Agreement  dated  as of
                            February 1, 1998  between  Interpublic  and James R.
                            Heekin.

                       (f)  Supplemental  Agreement to an  Employment  Agreement
                            dated as of March 28, 2000 between  Interpublic  and
                            James R. Heekin.

                       (g)  Supplemental  Agreement  to an  Executive  Severance
                            Agreement   dated  as  of  June  1,   2000   between
                            Interpublic and James R. Heekin.

                       (h)  Executive  Special  Benefit  Agreement  dated  as of
                            January  1, 2000  between  Interpublic  and James R.
                            Heekin.

                (ii)   Barry R. Linsky
                       ---------------

                       (a)  Supplemental   Agreement  to  an  Executive  Special
                            Benefit  Agreement dated as of June 30, 2000 between
                            Interpublic and Barry R. Linsky.

                       (b)  Executive   Special    Benefit-Income    Replacement
                            Agreement   dated  as  of  June  1,   2000   between
                            Interpublic and Barry R. Linsky.

                       (c)  Supplemental  Agreement dated  as of  March 26, 2001
                            between Interpublic and Barry R. Linsky.

                (iii)  C. Kent Kroeber
                       ---------------

                       (a)  Supplemental   Agreement  to  an  Executive  Special
                            Benefit  Agreement dated as of June 30, 2000 between
                            Interpublic and C. Kent Kroeber.

                       (b)  Executive   Special    Benefit-Income    Replacement
                            Agreement   dated  as  of  June  1,   2000   between
                            Interpublic and C. Kent Kroeber.



                (iv)   Thomas J. Volpe
                       ---------------

                       (a)  Supplemental   Agreement  to  an  Executive  Special
                            Benefit  Agreement dated as of June 30, 2000 between
                            Interpublic  and Thomas J. Volpe.

                       (b)  Supplemental   Agreement  to  an  Executive  Special
                            Benefit-Income  Replacement  Agreement  dated  as of
                            June 30,  2000  between  Interpublic  and  Thomas J.
                            Volpe.

                       (c)  Executive  Special  Benefit  Agreement  dated  as of
                            March 21,  2000  between  Interpublic  and Thomas J.
                            Volpe.

                       (d)  Executive   Special    Benefit-Income    Replacement
                            Agreement   dated  as  of  June  1,   2000   between
                            Interpublic and Thomas J. Volpe.

                (v)    Bruce Nelson
                       ------------

                       (a)  Employment  Agreement  dated as of September 5, 2000
                            between Interpublic and Bruce Nelson.

                       (b)  Executive  Special  Benefit  Agreement  dated  as of
                            September  1,  2000  between  Interpublic  and Bruce
                            Nelson.

                       (c)  Supplemental Agreement dated as of September 1, 2000
                            to an Executive  Special Benefit  Agreement dated as
                            of January  1, 1986  between  Interpublic  and Bruce
                            Nelson.


                (vi)  Frank B. Lowe
                      -------------

                       (a)  Employment  Agreement  dated as of  January  1, 2001
                            between Interpublic and Frank B. Lowe.

                       (b)  Supplemental  Agreement to an  Employment  Agreement
                            dated as of January 2, 2001 between  Interpublic and
                            Frank B. Lowe.

                       (c)  Executive  Special  Benefit  Agreement  dated  as of
                            January 15, 2001  between  Interpublic  and Frank B.
                            Lowe.

     (c)        Executive Compensation Plans.

                (i)     Trust  Agreement,  dated  as of  June  1,  1990  between
                        Interpublic,      Lintas     Campbell-Ewald     Company,
                        McCann-Erickson  USA, Inc.,  McCann-Erickson  Marketing,
                        Inc.,  Lintas,  Inc. and Chemical  Bank, as Trustee,  is
                        incorporated by reference to Registrant's  Annual Report
                        on Form 10-K for the year ended  December 31, 1990.  See
                        Commission file number 1-6686.

                (ii)    The Stock Option Plan (1988) and the  Achievement  Stock
                        Award  Plan  of  the  Registrant  are   incorporated  by
                        reference to Appendices C and D of the Prospectus  dated
                        May 4, 1989 forming part of its  Registration  Statement
                        on Form S-8 (No. 33-28143).

                (iii)   The  Management  Incentive   Compensation  Plan  of  the
                        Registrant   is   incorporated   by   reference  to  the
                        Registrant's  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter  ended
                        June 30, 1995. See Commission file number 1-6686.

                (iv)    The  1986  Stock  Incentive  Plan of the  Registrant  is
                        incorporated by reference to Registrant's  Annual Report
                        on Form 10-K for the year ended  December 31, 1993.  See
                        Commission file number 1-6686.

                (v)     The  1986  United  Kingdom  Stock  Option  Plan  of  the
                        Registrant is  incorporated by reference to Registrant's
                        Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  December
                        31, 1992. See Commission file number 1-6686.

                (vi)    The  Employee   Stock   Purchase   Plan  (1985)  of  the
                        Registrant,  as amended, is incorporated by reference to
                        Registrant's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K for the year
                        ended  December 31,  1993.  See  Commission  file number
                        1-6686.

                (vii)   The  Long-Term   Performance   Incentive   Plan  of  the
                        Registrant is incorporated by reference to Appendix A of
                        the  Prospectus  dated December 12, 1988 forming part of
                        its Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 33-25555).

                (viii)  Resolution of the Board of Directors adopted on February
                        16, 1993, amending the Long-Term  Performance  Incentive
                        Plan is incorporated by reference to Registrant's Annual
                        Report  on Form  10-K for the year  ended  December  31,
                        1992. See Commission file number 1-6686.

                (ix)    Resolution of the Board of Directors  adopted on May 16,
                        1989 amending the Long-Term  Performance  Incentive Plan
                        is incorporated  by reference to Registrant's  Report on
                        Form 10-K for the year  ended  December  31,  1989.  See
                        Commission file number 1-6686.

                (x)     The  1996  Stock  Incentive  Plan of the  Registrant  is
                        incorporated by reference to the Registrant's  Report on
                        Form  10-Q for the  quarter  ended  June 30,  1996.  See
                        Commission file number 1-6686.

                (xi)    The 1997 Performance Incentive Plan of the Registrant is
                        incorporated by reference to the Registrant's  Report on
                        Form  10-Q for the  quarter  ended  June 30,  1997.  See
                        Commission file number 1-6686.

     (d)        Loan Agreements.

                (i)     Other  Loan  and  Guaranty  Agreements  filed  with  the
                        Registrant's  Annual  Report  on Form 10-K for the years
                        ended  December  31,  1988  and  December  31,  1986 are
                        incorporated  by  reference in this Report on Form 10-K.
                        Other Credit  Agreements,  amendments to various  Credit
                        Agreements,    Supplemental   Agreements,    Termination
                        Agreements,  Loan Agreements,  Note Purchase Agreements,
                        Guarantees and  Intercreditor  Agreements filed with the
                        Registrant's  Report on Form  10-K for the  years  ended
                        December 31, 1989 through  December 31, 1999,  inclusive
                        and filed with Registrant's Reports on Form 10-Q for the
                        periods  ended  March  31,  2000,   June  30,  2000  and
                        September 30, 2000 are  incorporated  by reference  into
                        this  Report on Form 10-K.  See  Commission  file number
                        1-6686.

     (e)        Leases.

                Material leases of premises are incorporated by reference to the
                Registrant's  Annual  Report on Form  10-K for the  years  ended
                December 31, 1980 and December 31,  1988.  See  Commission  file
                number 1-6686.

     (f)        Acquisition Agreement for Purchase of Real Estate.

                Acquisition       Agreement       (in      German)       between
                Treuhandelsgesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft & Co. Grundbesitz OHG
                and  McCann-Erickson  Deutschland GmbH & Co. Management Property
                KG  ("McCann-Erickson  Deutschland") and the English translation
                of the  Acquisition  Agreement are  incorporated by reference to
                Registrant's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K for the  year  ended
                December 31, 1992. See Commission file number 1-6686.

     (g)        Mortgage Agreements and Encumbrances.

                (i)     Summaries  in German and English of Mortgage  Agreements
                        between  McCann-Erickson   Deutschland  and  Frankfurter
                        Hypothekenbank      Aktiengesellschaft     ("Frankfurter
                        Hypothekenbank"),  Mortgage Agreement, dated January 22,
                        1993,    between    McCann-Erickson    Deutschland   and
                        Frankfurter  Hypothekenbank,  Mortgage Agreement,  dated
                        January 22, 1993,  between  McCann-Erickson  Deutschland
                        and  Hypothekenbank  are  incorporated  by  reference to
                        Registrant's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K for the year
                        ended  December 31,  1993.  See  Commission  file number
                        1-6686.  Summaries  in German and  English  of  Mortgage
                        Agreement,   between  McCann-Erickson   Deutschland  and
                        Frankfurter  Sparkasse  and  Mortgage  Agreement,  dated
                        January 7, 1993, between McCann-Erickson Deutschland and
                        Frankfurter  Sparkasse are  incorporated by reference to
                        Registrant's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K for the year
                        ended  December 31,  1992.  See  Commission  file number
                        1-6686.


                (ii)    Summaries  in German and English of  Documents  creating
                        Encumbrances in favor of Frankfurter  Hypothekenbank and
                        Frankfurter    Sparkasse   in   connection    with   the
                        aforementioned Mortgage Agreements,  Encumbrance,  dated
                        January   15,    1993,    in   favor   of    Frankfurter
                        Hypothekenbank, and Encumbrance, dated January 15, 1993,
                        in favor of Frankfurter  Sparkasse are  incorporated  by
                        reference to Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
                        the year ended December 31, 1992.  See  Commission  file
                        number 1-6686.

                (iii)   Loan  Agreement  (in English and German),  dated January
                        29,   1993   between   Lintas   Deutschland   GmbH   and
                        McCann-Erickson Deutschland is incorporated by reference
                        to Registrant's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
                        ended  December 31,  1992.  See  Commission  file number
                        1-6686.

11   Computation of Earnings Per Share.

13   This  Exhibit  includes:  (a)  those  portions  of  the  Annual  Report  to
     Stockholders  for the year  ended  December  31,  2000  which are  included
     therein  under the  following  headings:  Financial  Highlights;  Report of
     Management; Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
     Results of Operations;  Consolidated Balance Sheet;  Consolidated Statement
     of Income;  Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows; Consolidated Statement of
     Stockholders'  Equity  and  Comprehensive  Income;  Notes  to  Consolidated
     Financial Statements (the aforementioned  Consolidated Financial Statements
     together with the Notes to Consolidated  Financial  Statements  hereinafter
     shall be referred to as the "Consolidated Financial Statements"); Report of
     Independent Accountants; Selected Financial Data for Five Years; Results by
     Quarter (Unaudited); and Stockholders Information.

21   Subsidiaries of the Registrant.

23   Consent of Independent Accountants:  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
     Consent of Independent Public Accountants:  J.H. Cohn LLP
     Consent of Independent Accountants:  Arthur Andersen LLP

24   Power of Attorney to sign Form 10-K and resolution of Board of Directors re
     Power of Attorney.

99   The  Company  filed the  following  reports on Form 8-K during the  quarter
     ended December 31, 2000:

     (i)   Senior  Debt  Indenture   dated  as  of  October  20,  2000,  by  The
           Interpublic  Group  of  Companies,  Inc.  and The  Bank of New  York,
           Trustee,  relating to the 7.875%  Notes due 2005 is  incorporated  by
           reference to Exhibit 99.1 of the Registrant's  Form 8-K dated October
           24, 2000.

     (ii)  Underwriting  Agreement dated as of October 17, 2000, relating to the
           7.875% Notes due 2005 is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 of
           the Registrant's Form 8-K dated October 24, 2000.