Cindy Rose.
WPP has appointed Cindy Rose CEO.
She takes over from Mark Read who is stepping down.
Rose has spent the last nine years in senior leadership positions at Microsoft where she is currently chief operating officer, global enterprise.
She has been a non-executive director on the WPP board since 2019.
“WPP is a company I know and love – not only from my six years on the board but as a client and partner for many years before that – and I couldn’t be happier or more excited to be appointed as CEO,” she said.
“I began my career in the creative industries and this feels like coming home.
“There are so many opportunities ahead for WPP. We have and continue to build market-leading AI capabilities, alongside an unrivalled reputation for creative excellence and a preeminent client list.
"WPP has the most brilliant, talented, creative people and I can't wait to write the company's next chapter together.”
Rose takes over a company in the middle of restructuring, with negative growth, a weak share price and pushback from staff on the back to the office mandate.
She has British and American citizenship and will be based in both London and New York. She was made an OBE in the 2019 New Year Honours in recognition of her services to UK technology.
“Having worked closely with Cindy for the last six years, I am delighted to see her appointed as CEO of WPP," said Mark Read.
"From her time on the Board, she has real insight into our business and knows many of our clients, people and partners around the world.
“She brings deep experience of technology and AI and its transformational impact on business, and has successfully run large global organisations with talent at their core. After seven years as CEO, I know that I am leaving WPP in excellent hands.”
Philip Jansen, chair of WPP, said Rose is an outstanding and inspirational business leader with extensive experience at some of the world’s most recognised companies and a track record of growing large-scale businesses.
"She has led multi-billion-dollar operations across the UK, EMEA and globally, built enduring client relationships and delivered growth in both enterprise and consumer environments.
“Cindy has supported the digital transformation of large enterprises around the world – including embracing AI to create new customer experiences, business models and revenue streams.
"Her expertise in this landscape will be hugely valuable to WPP as the industry navigates fundamental changes and macroeconomic uncertainty. Cindy’s appointment follows a thorough selection process that considered both internal and external candidates. As an existing board member she understands our business and the needs of our clients, and we look forward to working with her in her new role as CEO.
“As he hands over to Cindy, I would like to reiterate my sincere thanks to Mark for his tireless commitment during more than 30 years with WPP and in particular the progress he has made to modernise, simplify and transform the company over the last seven years as CEO. On behalf of the board and the company as a whole I wish him all the very best for the future.”
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