Maxus has won DMG Media’s planning and buying business in the UK and North America, giving it responsibility for the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday and MailOnline brands.

The WPP agency becomes DMG’s primary marketing and media agency in the UK and North America, with responsibility for “brand-specific buying in paid-for media” in both markets.

Maxus’s appointment, which follows a review process handled by agency intermediary AAR and that took place in London and New York, brings an end to Starcom’s 18-year relationship with the media owner. Starcom has been investing in its own publishing business.

Roland Agambar, DMG Media’s chief marketing officer, said: “We were incredibly impressed by the calibre of the agencies pitching and the quality of the presentations.

“Maxus stood out because of its point of view on our market opportunities and challenges and the innovative approach they intend to take to help us address them.”

Nick Baughan, Maxus UK’s chief executive, added: “It’s great to be recognised by DMG Media as its agency of choice and we look forward to working with the team in September.”