Armando Testa reigns supreme as Italy's most famous home-grown advertising agency. For years it ranked as the biggest individual agency brand by billings, despite fierce competition from subsidiaries of marketing giants Omnicom or WPP. These days, it has lost that position, though it remains the biggest independent agency, managing a portfolio of mainly Italian clients. The main agency is partnered by a number of saletellite units including design and brand identity shop InTesta, production company Little Bull, and media agency Media Italia. In 1999, Testa issued a further challenge, promising to spread its wings internationally. The agency opened offices in London, Paris, Frankfurt and Brussels, and promised more outposts to follow. However, only a handful of Testa's smaller domestic clients took advantage of that situation, so the network was shuttered again and instead the agency has partnership alliances with key local agencies in major markets. The business was founded in Turin in 1946 as a design studio by Armando Testa, who has come to be regarded as the grandfather of Italian advertising. The group remains privately owned by the Testa family. Marco Testa is chairman & CEO; his sister Antonella Testa, Marco Testa's sister, runs brand identity shop InTesta. The founder's grandson Gian Armando Testa is creative director. Adbrands does not currently profile this company but subscribers may access account assignments and contact information. The searchable account assignments database is available to full subscribers to Adbrands.net premium services. Click here to access Adbrands account assignments (subscribers only); or see here for information on how to subscribe.