25 power players leading ad holding company WPP's turnaround - Business Insider

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Meet the 25 power players who are trying to turn around WPP, the world's biggest ad holding company

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But WPP, like other traditional advertising companies, has faced harsh headwinds in recent years as marketers move their money to digital platforms dominated by Google, Facebook, and, increasingly, Amazon. WPP's stock dropped by nearly 15% after it reported greater-than-expected losses in the last quarter of 2019 and predicted flat growth for 2020.

The list includes all 15 people that Read picked to be on an executive committee of top people at the company to help inform his strategy. Read formed the committee in 2019, but its membership has not been made public.a deck that Read presented to investors The agency's work in fields like AI and ecommerce is critical to WPP's growth. A former WPP CEO described AKQA as a "sleeping giant" and compared it to larger and more established firms like R/GA that specialize in product development as well as more straightforward digital design.

Her remit is limited to the UK, and one source said the relative autonomy of agencies had left her with less power than other executives before Read took over. But multiple current employees told Business Insider that the country leaders have gained more power since he took charge — and that Blackett, a decade-plus holding company veteran, is personally close to the CEO, who consults her often.

Several insiders said Read has placed a great amount of trust in Canney, who spent 25 years in HR at Accenture as it grew into a worldwide behemoth. In addition to managing talent, she helps train WPP employees to use new technologies and develop culture across the company's more than 130,000 people in over 100 countries.Read's first big structural move was merging creative agency Y&R and digital firm VML in late 2018, creating a far larger network with 6,500 employees.

Current and former WPP employees said Read handpicked Edwards, who had reported to him as CEO of Wunderman in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, to succeed him as chief executive when the agency merged with J. Walter Thompson to form Wunderman Thompson in early 2019. Mindshare launched in 1997 and has grown to more than 100 offices around the world handling over $30 billion in annual billings for clients such as PepsiCo, General Mills, and Unilever.

Read positioned Ezekiel's hire as part of his effort to turn WPP into a company that did more than just make and buy ads. Now, more clients go directly to production companies to carry out ideas developed by creative agencies — a potential threat to WPP. Part of this approach involves rebranding Geometry Global, which had been known for brand activations and customer relationship management work, as a creative commerce agency whose services include designing packaging and physical spaces.

Guay's role is particularly important given WPP's hopes to win back its Ford business. Guay, who had formerly been North American managing director at Publicis Groupe's Digitas, brought digital chops to the job and helped ensure that the company did not lose any more of the Ford business — including its critical media planning and buying account. As group chief counsel, Andrea Harris is responsible for all of WPP's legal functions around the world.

A former account and business development director at firms including Y&R, Houston joined Grey as CMO in 2007. Then-CEO Jim Heekin promoted him to managing director, North American CEO, global president, and finally global CEO in 2017. Heekin's recent retirement left Houston in charge of the entire operation and its 6,000-plus employees.

Donna Imperato, who spent the previous 15 years as CEO of Cohn & Wolfe, was named to lead the new conglomerate, which also includes AxiCom, BWR, Direct Impact, GCI Health, HZ, PSB Research, Prime Policy Group and Y&R Public Relations.

 

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