Microsoft to sell Razorfish?

Software giant Microsoft is planning to sell its digital advertising and marketing agency Razorfish, the Financial Times (FT) reports.  According to the FT, Morgan Stanley has been appointed by Microsoft to find a potential buyer for the Seattle-based agency. French marketing company Publicis Groupe is believed to be a possible bidder. Last week Microsoft unveiled a deal with Publicis GroupeÔÇÖs digital arm, VivaKi, to better target digital advertising audiences. Microsoft acquired Razorfish, whose high-profile clients include Sony, Nike and McDonaldÔÇÖs, as part of its $6 billion takeover of parent company aQuantive in 2007.  Analysts have suggested that Razorfish, which has around 2,000 employees, could be worth between $600 million and $700 million. Its revenues last year reached $400 million. Razorfish could thus-far have proved a conflict of interests for Microsoft, which sells technology to rival agencies through Microsoft Advertising.  Earlier this year, Razorfish replaced its chief executive Clark Kokich with Bob Lord, having cut 80 jobs at the end of last year. *┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á *┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á *