New Investment

WPP Group PLC
2 August 2000


                  WPP GROUP PLC ('WPP')

  wpp.com investment in Inferentia, an Italian e-business
                        consultancy

WPP announces that wpp.com, its interactive and New Economy
parent company,  has made an investment - amounting to 4% of
the equity - in Inferentia SpA ('Inferentia'), an Italian e-
business consulting and services company, which launched its
IPO yesterday on the Borsa Italiana SpA.  Italy is the
fastest-growing internet market in Western Europe.

At the placing price of 46 euros, Inferentia was valued at
190.7million euros, which in turn values wpp.com's stake at
7.6million euros.  At the close of business last night,
Inferentia's shares were trading at 53.5 euros which values
the company at 221.8million euros and wpp.com's stake at
8.9million euros.

The Milan-based company reported revenues of 5.7million
euros in 1999 and is expected to be profitable in 2000.

Gruppo Inferentia - of which Inferentia is the core company
- is the leading Italian independent company specialising in
e-business consulting and services.  It provides clients
with a wide range of integrated e-commerce services,
essential for success in the New Economy.  These include e-
business strategy, design and development, e-marketing
(through partner company Web Media Center ('WMC')), e-
publishing (through partner company Orchestra) and e-
sourcing (through eFluxa).  WMC already collaborates with
MindShare, WPP's global media investment management company.

Gruppo Inferentia's clients include Altavista Italia, Banca
di Roma, Ciaoweb, Corriere della Sera, Ferrero, Il Sole 24
Ore and Royal Insurance, among other leading corporations.

This investment continues WPP's objective of developing its
new media interests both through the strengthening of
established businesses and directly through new ventures.

For further information:

Feona McEwan at WPP Tel:  [phone]
www.wpp.com/interactive
www.inferentia.it