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FIC acquired a majority stake in the UK-based online ad network Utarget in 2008 for an undisclosed sum.The merging of commercial operations means Utarget's 18-strong team, based in Windsor and headed by chief executive and founder Phil Cooper, has moved to the Shepherd's Bush offices of Fox Networks, the seven-strong online advertising network.Cooper said the move was not down to cost-cutting and has not led to any redundancies, but would prompt a number of benefits, including the sharing of resources, such as product offering, publisher networks and economies of scale.As part of the change, Cooper will continue in his role with  added responsibility of the overall Fox operations in the UK. Federica Aperio, UK managing director, will add oversight of sales, publisher services and ad operations for all products.The merger was announced by Hernan Lopez, chief operations officers of FIC, who said the move would mean the combined entity was in a "better position to serve advertiser and agency needs in the UK".

LONDON - Utarget, the online ad network, has merged its sales and publisher services with Fox Networks, the UK sales and ad network of Fox International Channels (FIC), its majority stake owner.