Announcement • May 02
WPP PLC Appoints Peter Agnefjäll as Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee Member, Effective May 11, 2026 WPP PLC announces the appointment of Peter Agnefjäll to its Board as Non-Executive Director, with effect from May 11, 2026. Peter began his career at IKEA as a graduate trainee in 1995 and held a number of senior positions before serving as Chief Executive Officer and President of the IKEA Group (Ingka Holding B.V.) from 2013 to 2017. During this period, he led the company's growth agenda and move into omnichannel retail, new shopping and distribution formats. Since leaving executive office, Peter has served on a number of boards in a non-executive capacity. He joined the Supervisory Board of Ahold Delhaize, a multinational retailer in 2019 and served as its Chair between 2021 to 2025. From 2018 until recently, he served on the Board of Directors of Orkla ASA, an OBX listed industrial investment company focused on brands and consumer-oriented businesses. He held a non-executive position at Wizz Air between 2018 to 2021 and was a member of the board of advisors of the footwear retailer, Deichmann SE from 2018 to 2023. Peter is a member of the Council on Sustainability Transformation, convened by the specialist sustainability consultancy, ERM. He holds an M.Sc. in Business Administration from Linköping University. On appointment, Peter will become a member of the WPP Board Audit Committee. Announcement • Apr 30
Wpp plc Reaffirms Earnings Guidance for the for 2026 WPP plc reaffirmed earnings guidance for the for 2026. For the period, The company anticipates LFL revenue less pass-through costs to decline in the mid to high-single digits in the first half of 2026 with an improving trajectory in the second half and expect headline operating profit margin for the full year to be 12% to 13%. Announcement • Apr 16
WPP Reportedly Considers Strategic Sale of Burson Amid Corporate Restructuring WPP plc (LSE:WPP) is exploring the sale of Burson (The Burson Group LLC), marking the first major portfolio adjustment under chief executive Cindy Rose. This strategic review, announced on April 13, 2026, indicates Rose's commitment to streamline WPP's operations as it navigates challenging market conditions. The company has enlisted Goldman Sachs to assess potential options for the public relations firm, although both WPP and Goldman Sachs declined to provide further comments on the matter. A potential divestment would represent a significant shift in WPP's focus, particularly as the company has previously sold a majority stake in FGS Global to KKR for GBP 1,300 million. The review of Burson's future comes in light of recent financial results that show WPP's PR division generated GBP 667 million in revenue in Fiscal year 2025, reflecting a 6% like-for-like decline. This downturn is attributed to weaker discretionary spending, notably across Europe. Overall, WPP reported a revenue drop to GBP 13,550 million in Fiscal year 2025, an 8.1% decline, with headline operating profit decreasing by 22.6% to GBP 1,321 million. Since Cindy Rose took the helm in September 2025, she has emphasized simplification through her Elevate28 strategy, which aims to reduce complexities and improve integration across WPP's core offerings in media, creative, production, and technology. Within this framework, the role of public relations appears to be diminishing, leading to speculation that Burson may not fit into WPP's long-term strategic vision. Announcement • Apr 11
Wpp plc Appoints Anne-Isabelle Choueiri as Chief Transformation Officer WPP PLC has announced the appointment of Anne-Isabelle Choueiri as Chief Transformation Officer. In this newly created role, Anne-Isabelle will be responsible for designing, implementing and embedding the operations that underpin Elevate28, WPP's three-year growth plan unveiled in February 2026. She will spearhead initiatives that foster innovation and efficiency to transform WPP's integrated offer to clients, aligned with the company's mission to become the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands, ensuring that the company shows up differently with agile, outcome-driven solutions that deliver measurable growth. She will lead organisational transformation across WPP, working closely with the company's product and enterprise tech teams to harness AI, technology and data to unlock new capabilities and drive operational excellence. Anne-Isabelle will also partner with the company's people function to make culture a strategic lever for transformation, building an agile, high-performance mindset across the organisation that accelerates change, embeds new ways of working and attracts world-class talent. She joins WPP from The Estee Lauder Companies, where she led enterprise-wide strategic initiatives, including shaping the company's "One ELC" operating model and transforming its enterprise marketing, data and analytics capabilities. She led the transformation and redesign of Enterprise Technology teams and served as a core member of the company's AI taskforce, responsible for leading AI strategy and implementation, including the scaling and adoption of tools as well as driving value realisation from AI across the business. Previously, Anne-Isabelle has held leadership roles at world-class consultancies including Accenture, Masai - a Bain & Co spin-off - and Kearney. She also has a background leading data and digital marketing agencies. Anne-Isabelle will be based in New York and will sit on WPP's Executive Committee. Announcement • Mar 23
WPP plc(LSE:WPP) dropped from FTSE All-World Index (USD) WPP plc(LSE:WPP) dropped from FTSE All-World Index (USD) Announcement • Mar 21
WPP plc, Annual General Meeting, May 08, 2026 WPP plc, Annual General Meeting, May 08, 2026. Location: rose court, 2 southwark bridge road, se1 9hs, london United Kingdom Announcement • Mar 06
WPP Announces Change of CEO of WPP Media U.S, Effective March 4, 2026 WPP has named Nancy Hall CEO of WPP Media U.S. following a months-long search for a leader of the division helmed by WPP Media global CEO Brian Lesser. Hall is stepping into the role after a nine-month stint as the company’s chief client officer. Prior to that, she was North America CEO at Mindshare, a WPP-owned media agency. She brings nearly 25 years of experience to her new post, having worked across adland holding companies including IPG and Conversant, which as part of Epsilon was later acquired by Publicis. In those roles, Hall helped to build out programmatic and tech capabilities designed to drive client outcomes. The news comes five months after the departure of Sharb Farjami, who served in the role for less than two years. Since his exit, Lesser has helmed WPP Media U.S. in an interim capacity. Hall’s appointment is effective immediately. Announcement • Feb 26
Wpp plc Proposes Final Dividend for 2025, Payable on July 3, 2026 The Board of WPP plc has proposed a final dividend of 7.5 pence per share for 2025 (2024: 24.4 pence per share) giving a full year dividend of 15.0 pence per share (2024: 39.4 pence per share). The record date for the final dividend is 5 June 2026 and the dividend will be payable on 3 July 2026. Announcement • Jan 20
WPP plc to Report Fiscal Year 2025 Results on Feb 26, 2026 WPP plc announced that they will report fiscal year 2025 results at 8:00 AM, GMT Standard Time on Feb 26, 2026 Announcement • Dec 22
WPP plc(LSE:WPP) dropped from FTSE 100 Index WPP plc(LSE:WPP) dropped from FTSE 100 Index Announcement • Nov 14
Wpp Appoints Elav Horwitz as First Chief Innovation Officer WPP announced the appointment of Elav Horwitz as its first Chief Innovation Officer, a new role created to solidify its leadership in applied AI and deliver groundbreaking technology-driven solutions for clients. In this new position, Elav will be responsible for connecting WPP's world-leading partners with the company's unparalleled creative and strategic talent. Her remit will focus on fostering a culture of collaboration and agile innovation to drive applied AI and client transformation, and to redefine how clients engage with commerce, create compelling content and shape culture. In her new role, Elav will continue to report to WPP Chief Technology Officer Stephan Pretorius.
A leading voice for responsible technology and innovation, Elav also serves as an advisor to influential groups like the Spotify and Meta Creative Councils, and she's a founding member of the leadership community Chief. Elav's appointment as Chief Innovation Officer underscores WPP's continued investment in technology and data and follows a series of recent hires to bolster WPP's innovation capabilities, including Daniel Barak as WPP's first Global Creative and Innovation Lead, Sarah Salter as VP of Global Partnerships & AI Innovation and Mathieu Albrand as Director of AI Strategy and Innovation. The expanded team will continue to work closely with Elav and Stephan to drive WPP's innovation agenda forward. Announcement • Oct 30
WPP plc Revises Earnings Guidance for 2025 WPP plc revised earnings guidance for 2025. For the period, 2025 guidance -Based on trading year to date and the outlook for the fourth quarter, company expect LFL growth in revenue less pass-through costs of negative 5.5% to negative 6.0% (vs. negative 3% to negative 5% previously). Similarly, company expect headline operating profit margin to be around 13% (vs. previous guidance of down 50 bps to 175 bps year on year excluding the impact of FX). Announcement • Oct 23
WPP plc Launches WPP Open Pro WPP PLC launched WPP Open Pro, a new edition of its AI marketing platform, WPP Open, designed to empower brands of all sizes to plan, create and publish campaigns independently. WPP Open Pro will expand WPP's reach across the global advertising market while also offering an efficient route for existing clients to leverage WPP's platform and tools. WPP Open Pro represents a significant shift in the industry, with WPP being the first of its peers to provide a range of integrated, AI-powered delivery models. The new platform enables WPP to service the evolving needs of its current client base and grasp the opportunity to increase its addressable market of brands that may not have previously had the resources to benefit from its expertise. Built on WPP Open - which will continue to be at the centre of WPP's managed service offering that combines talented global teams with integrated technology - WPP Open Pro packages three powerful, connected functional areas into a simple interface that allows marketing teams, from established enterprises and WPP clients to emerging businesses, to: Plan with AI-powered strategy: users can access WPP's foundational data and insights to develop campaign strategies, better understand audiences and evaluate competitive landscapes quickly. This is powered by AI agents which draw on WPP's deep proprietary, partner and industry data. Create content at scale: marketers can generate on-brand, channel-specific ads and content in seconds, automating production while maintaining brand integrity and driving performance. Publish campaigns: WPP Media clients can seamlessly integrate with, and hand off to, WPP's Open Media Studio for enhanced media execution. Alternatively, the platform allows brands to publish content directly to major ad platforms. Integrated differentiation in a crowded market WPP Open Pro stands apart from competitors by offering a comprehensive, integrated solution for campaign implementation, connecting strategy, content creation and performance optimisation with enterprise-grade consistency. Bringing together some of the most powerful and specialised capabilities of WPP Open, the new platform is an ideal solution for distinct business units or regional teams within a global brand, giving them the freedom to adapt campaigns and personalise content while ensuring global brand compliance. Crucially, it is also designed to help cater to the unserved segment of the worldwide advertising market. It is equally valuable for a performance-based marketer in a fast-moving sector like ecommerce or finance, who needs to rapidly create, test and optimise high volumes of ads to drive measurable outcomes. Furthermore, WPP Open Pro also provides smaller businesses, startups and growing brands with direct access to professional-grade tools and WPP's intelligence, allowing them to generate quality content and publish campaigns, thereby expanding their potential for market growth. Announcement • Oct 16
WPP plc Appoints Keith Weed as Member of Nomination and Governance Committee, Effective 15 October 2025 WPP plc announced that Keith Weed has joined the Nomination and Governance Committee, effective 15 October 2025. The Nomination and Governance Committee membership with effect from 15 October 2025: Philip Jansen as chair, Angela Ahrendts, Senior Independent Director, Tom Ilube, Non-Executive Director, Keith Weed, Non-Executive Director. Announcement • Oct 10
Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP Announces Class Action Lawsuit Against WPP plc Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announced that the WPP class action lawsuit seeks to represent purchasers or acquirers of WPP plc common stock between February 27, 2025 and July 8, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Captioned Marty v. WPP plc, No. 25-cv-08365 (S.D.N.Y.), the WPP class action lawsuit charges WPP and certain of WPP's top executives with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The WPP class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period created the false impression that they possessed reliable information pertaining to WPP's projected revenue outlook and anticipated growth while also minimizing risk from seasonality and macroeconomic fluctuations. In truth, according to the complaint, WPP's optimistic reports of its potential to achieve new client bid wins and retain its existing clientele fell short of reality as WPP's media arm was not equipped to compete effectively and had begun to lose market share to its competitors. The WPP class action lawsuit further alleges that on July 9, 2025, WPP published a trading update for the first half of 2025, alerting investors that WPP had allegedly "seen a deterioration in performance as Second Quarter has progressed," attributing the deterioration to both "continued macro uncertainty weighing on client spend and weaker net new business than originally anticipated," at least in part due to "some distraction to the business" as a result of the continued restructuring of WPP Media a.k.a. GroupM. The complaint also alleges that in a same-day press release, WPP further announced that CEO, defendant Mark Read, "will retire from the Board and as CEO on 31 December 2025." On this news, the price of WPP stock fell more than 18%, according to the complaint. Announcement • Sep 16
WPP Media Appoints Sushant Mishra as Growth Lead – North WPP Media has announced the appointment of Sushant Mishra as Growth Lead – North, where he will be responsible for spearheading the Growth Cluster in the region. In his new role, Mishra will focus on building solutions-led strategies that move beyond conventional media metrics like reach and frequency, and instead address deeper business problem-solving for clients. According to Mishra, the next wave of growth for agencies will hinge on enabling SME segments to scale, with a sharper emphasis on media, technology, and AI-driven outcomes. Mishra brings over 15 years of experience across digital transformation, marketing strategy, and business growth. Most recently, he co-founded Petlicious Superfoods India, where he built a pet food brand focused on sustainability, subscription-led retention, and automation-driven customer engagement. Prior to that, he was Director – Digital & Head of Media at Ola Electric, leading full-funnel digital marketing and driving pre-bookings, awareness, and strategic partnerships during the EV brand’s aggressive growth phase. He also held senior roles at Grofers (now Blinkit) as Senior Director – Digital Marketing & Partnerships, and at Starcom MediaVest Group, where he served as VP & Business Head – North. This appointment signals WPP Media’s intent to deepen its data-driven, SME-centric growth strategy in India’s northern market. Announcement • Aug 29
Andrew Scott to Retire as Chief Operating Officer and from the Board of WPP plc at the End of the Year 2025 WPP plc announced that Andrew Scott has informed the Company that he will retire as Chief Operating Officer and from the Board at the end of the year 2025. Andrew will work with incoming CEO Cindy Rose during that period and thereafter as Senior Advisor to transition his various roles and responsibilities to other senior executives as well as supporting strategy execution. Andrew joined WPP in 1999 as Director of Corporate Development. He held a number of other senior roles, including Chief Operating Officer for Europe, before being appointed global Chief Operating Officer in 2018 where his responsibilities included leading WPP's country structure in key markets. In 2023 he was appointed to the Board. Throughout his time with WPP Andrew has been instrumental to the Company's development and growth. Leading WPP's M&A activity, he has been responsible for many of the acquisitions that helped create the business. Announcement • Jul 10
WPP plc Announces Chief Executive Officer Changes, Effective 1 September 2025 WPP plc announced that Cindy Rose has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Company, effective 1 September 2025. Cindy succeeds Mark Read who will step down as CEO on the same date. Mark will continue to work with Cindy to support the transition until the end of the year. Cindy has extensive experience as a leader in the technology, telecommunications, media, entertainment and creative industries gained at world-leading brands. She has spent the last nine years in senior leadership positions at Microsoft where she is currently Chief Operating Officer, Global Enterprise. In this role she helps the world's largest companies use digital technology and AI to drive business transformation. Before being appointed to her current Microsoft role in March 2023, Cindy was President of Microsoft Western Europe and CEO of Microsoft UK. Other previous roles include Managing Director of the UK consumer business at Vodafone and Executive Director of Digital Entertainment and Media Sales at Virgin Media. She also spent 15 years at The Walt Disney Company, ultimately as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Disney Interactive Media Group, EMEA. Cindy has been a Non-Executive Director on the WPP Board since 2019. She is a graduate of Columbia University and New York Law School, and an Advisory Board Member at Imperial College Business School in London and McLaren Racing. Cindy has British and American citizenship and will be based in both London and New York. She was awarded an OBE in the 2019 New Year Honours in recognition of her services to UK technology. Announcement • Mar 31
WPP plc, Annual General Meeting, May 23, 2025 WPP plc, Annual General Meeting, May 23, 2025. Location: rose court, 2 southwark bridge road, se1 9hs, london United Kingdom Announcement • Mar 11
Bain, WPP Reportedly Plan to Break Up Kantar The Kantar Group Limited is set to be broken up and sold by Bain Capital Private Equity, LP and WPP plc (LSE:WPP), Ivan Levingston and Daniel Thomas of The Financial Times reported. Bain and WPP are seeking to cash in their investment while facing a difficult time for initial public offerings. A source close to the process said the sale of the business would be quicker and a surer way to raise money. Announcement • Feb 12
WPP plc to Report Fiscal Year 2024 Results on Feb 27, 2025 WPP plc announced that they will report fiscal year 2024 results on Feb 27, 2025 Announcement • Jan 02
WPP Appoints Deepa Jatkar as India Head of Its Opendoor, Amazon's Media Unit WPP has named Deepa Jatkar as the India lead for OpenDoor, its specialised unit dedicated to handling Amazon's media planning and buying operations. This appointment marks a strategic move to bolster WPP's capabilities in India, a critical market for Amazon. According to the company, Jatkar joined Wavemaker India in 2023 as chief growth officer, and brings over two decades of experience in media and consumer technology. Previously part of Meta India's global sales and marketing team, she played a key role in the India sales leadership group before transitioning to WPP's Wavemaker. It is understood that at OpenDoor, Jatkar will lead a team that spans multiple disciplines, including media, business consultancy, tech, and public relations, all tailored to meet Amazon's needs. Announcement • Dec 03
KKR European Fund VI, a fund managed by KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR) completed the acquisition of an additional 50% stake in FGS Global Inc from WPP plc (LSE:WPP) for approximately $780 million. KKR European Fund VI, a fund managed by KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR) entered into an agreement to acquire an additional 50% stake in FGS Global Inc from WPP plc (LSE:WPP) for approximately $780 million on August 7, 2024. Prior to the transaction, KKR held 28% stake in FGS. The proposed transaction is supported by FGS management. The proceeds from the sale of approximately $770 million will be used to reduce WPP's leverage. For the period ending December 31, 2023, FGS Global Inc reported total revenue of approximately $470 million, operating profit of $87 million and EBITDA of $90 million. The board of WPP considers that the terms of the transaction are fair and reasonable as far as WPP shareholders are concerned.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The deal has been approved by the board of directors of WPP. The transaction is expected to close before the end of 2024. As of August 7, 2024, the transaction is expected to close in Q4 2024. The transaction is reflecting significant value accretion to WPP shareholders since 2020.
Goldman Sachs International acted as financial advisor to WPP plc. Melissa Sawyer, Matt Goodman, John Karol, Isaac Wheeler, Ha Jin Lee, Andrew Thomson, Heather Coleman and Mario Schollmeyer of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP acted as legal advisors to FGS Global Inc. Alvaro Membrillera, Pelin Demirdere Eski, Adam Wollstein, Steven Choi, Anna Van de moortel, Ian Barratt, Jia Meng and Emma Flett of Kirkland & Ellis acted as legal advisors to KKR & Co. Inc.
KKR European Fund VI, a fund managed by KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR) completed the acquisition of an additional 50% stake in FGS Global Inc from WPP plc (LSE:WPP) on December 3, 2024. Announcement • Nov 14
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) acquired remaining unknown minority stake in The & Partners London Limited. WPP plc (LSE:WPP) acquired remaining unknown minority stake in The & Partners London Limited on November 13, 2024. T&Pm will continue to operate as a standalone multi-disciplinary agency, while collaborating closely with other WPP agencies. As part of the move, T&Pm is placing WPP’s AI-powered marketing operating system, WPP Open, at the core of its innovative marketing models, to drive further growth through cutting-edge solutions for clients.
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) completed the acquisition of remaining unknown minority stake in The & Partners London Limited on November 13, 2024. Announcement • Oct 23
WPP plc Reiterates Earnings Guidance for the Full Year 2024 WPP plc reiterated earnings guidance for the full year 2024. For the year, the company reiterated LFL revenue less pass-through costs of -1% to 0%, with fourth quarter facing a tougher comparative than third quarter and macro uncertainty. Improvement in full year 2024 headline operating profit margin of 20-40 bps (excluding the impact of FX). Announcement • Aug 09
KKR European Fund VI, a fund managed by KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR) entered into an agreement to an additional 50% stake in FGS Global Inc from WPP plc (LSE:WPP) for approximately $780 million. KKR European Fund VI, a fund managed by KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR) entered into an agreement to acquire an additional 50% stake in FGS Global Inc from WPP plc (LSE:WPP) for approximately $780 million on August 7, 2024. Prior to the transaction, KKR held 28% stake in FGS. The proposed transaction is supported by FGS management. The proceeds from the sale of approximately $770 million will be used to reduce WPP's leverage. For the period ending December 31, 2023, FGS Global Inc reported total revenue of approximately $470 million, operating profit of $87 million and EBITDA of $90 million. The board of WPP considers that the terms of the transaction are fair and reasonable as far as WPP shareholders are concerned.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The deal has been approved by the board of directors of WPP. The transaction is expected to close before the end of 2024. Goldman Sachs International acted as financial advisor to WPP plc. Melissa Sawyer, Matt Goodman, John Karol, Isaac Wheeler, Ha Jin Lee, Andrew Thomson, Heather Coleman and Mario Schollmeyer of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP acted as legal advisors to FGS Global Inc. Alvaro Membrillera, Pelin Demirdere Eski, Adam Wollstein, Steven Choi, Anna Van de moortel, Ian Barratt, Jia Meng and Emma Flett of Kirkland & Ellis acted as legal advisors to KKR & Co. Inc. Announcement • Aug 07
WPP plc Declares Interim Dividend for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024, Payable on 1 November 2024 WPP plc declared interim dividend of 15.0p (2023: 15.0p) for the six months ended June 30, 2024. The record date for the interim dividend is 11 October 2024, and the dividend will be payable on 1 November 2024. Announcement • Jul 30
WPP plc Announces Board Changes WPP plc announced the appointment of Philip Jansen to its Board as a Non-Executive Director and Chair-designate. He will join the Board on 16 September 2024 and will succeed Roberto Quarta as Non-Executive Chair of WPP from 1 January 2025. Philip was Chief Executive of BT Group from 2019 to February 2024. Before that he was CEO of Worldpay, the technology-led global payments services group. Previous roles include CEO and then Chairman of Brakes Group, and a variety of senior positions in Sodexo Group. Philip began his career at Procter & Gamble, going on to hold marketing director roles at Dunlop Slazenger and Telewest before moving into general management first at Telewest and then MyTravel. He was a non-executive director of Travis Perkins for four years. Philip led Worldpay through the UK's largest ever fintech IPO, having overhauled its technology infrastructure and invested in areas such as data analytics and cyber security. He also led the merger with US counterpart Vantiv to create Worldpay Inc. At BT Group, the global provider of telecommunications and related digital services, he oversaw the strategy to modernise, future-proof and simplify the business. In addition to being Chair, on joining the Board Philip Jansen will be appointed as a member of the Compensation Committee and the Nomination and Governance Committee and succeed Roberto Quarta as Chair of that Committee on 1 January 2025. Roberto Quarta will retire from the Board on 31 December 2024. Announcement • Jun 28
WPP plc to Report First Half, 2024 Results on Aug 07, 2024 WPP plc announced that they will report first half, 2024 results on Aug 07, 2024 Announcement • Apr 26
WPP plc Reaffirms Revenue Guidance for the Year 2024 WPP plc reaffirmed revenue guidance for the year 2024. For the year, LFL revenue less pass-through costs growth expected to be 0-1%. Announcement • Mar 22
WPP plc, Annual General Meeting, May 08, 2024 WPP plc, Annual General Meeting, May 08, 2024, at 10:00 Coordinated Universal Time. Location: Rose Court, 2 Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HS London . United Kingdom Announcement • Feb 22
WPP plc Proposes Final Dividend for 2023, Payable on 5 July 2024 The board of WPP plc proposing a final dividend for 2023 of 24.4 pence per share, which together with the interim dividend paid in November 2023 gives a full-year dividend of 39.4 pence per share. The record date for the final dividend is 7 June 2024, and the dividend will be payable on 5 July 2024. Announcement • Feb 02
WPP plc Reaffirms Revenue Guidance for the Year 2023 and Provides Revenue Guidance for the Year 2024 WPP plc reaffirmed revenue guidance for the year 2023 and provided revenue guidance for the year 2024. 2023 LFL revenue less pass-through costs expected to be 0.9% consistent with guidance given at third quarter of 2023 of 0.5% - 1.0%.2024 LFL revenue less pass-through costs growth of 0%-1%. Announcement • Jan 13
WPP plc to Report Fiscal Year 2023 Results on Feb 22, 2024 WPP plc announced that they will report fiscal year 2023 results on Feb 22, 2024 Announcement • Jan 11
WPP Reportedly to Weigh Options for 40% Stake in Bain’s Kantar WPP plc (LSE:WPP) is considering options to exit its 40% stake in market-research business Kantar as the British owner of advertising agencies seeks to raise cash and address a faltering share price, according to people familiar with the matter. The London-based company is working with an adviser as it studies potential alternatives, including an outright sale of the holding that it retained after selling 60% of Kantar to buyout firm Bain Capital in 2019, the people said, asking not to be identified as the matter is private. A deal could given an equity value of about $3 billion to $4 billion for Kantar, which also has around $4 billion of debt, the people said. Announcement • Nov 11
WPP Appoints Jane Geraghty as Chief Client Officer WPP has announced the appointment of Jane Geraghty as Chief Client Officer. Based in New York, she will be responsible for leading WPP's key client relationships and overseeing the company's Global Client Leaders. Jane is currently CEO of Landor & Fitch, WPP's specialist brand and design consultancy, and will remain a board member of Landor & Fitch as Executive Chairman. She succeeds Lindsay Pattison, who is moving to become WPP Chief People Officer. Jane has been with Landor & Fitch for over 12 years, initially as the leader of Landor London and then President EMEA until the end of 2017, when she was appointed CEO. She brings nearly 30 years of marketing, brand and communications experience, having worked on both sides of the Atlantic in top-tier advertising and marketing services companies including Saatchi & Saatchi, McCann-Erickson and Ogilvy New York. Jane has also worked in broadcast as Content Development Director at ITV and, immediately before joining Landor, she led the London office of communications consultancy Naked. Jane is a passionate advocate for equity in the workplace. This year she will co-chair the Reykjavik Global Forum for Women Leaders alongside the Prime Minister of Iceland. She was named in the HERoes Women Role Model Top 100 in 2023 and is the executive sponsor of the UK chapter of UNITE, WPP's grassroots LGBTQ+ community. She will assume the role of WPP Chief Client Officer in January 2024. Announcement • Nov 02
WPP plc Appoints Lindsay Pattison as Global Chief People Officer WPP plc announced the appointment of Lindsay Pattison as Global Chief People Officer, with responsibility for the company's people strategy and operations. Pattison succeeds Jennifer Remling, who is leaving to become Chief People Officer at Warner Bros. Discovery. Pattison is currently WPP's Global Chief Client Officer, leading WPP's relationships with its major clients - a role she has held since 2018. She is responsible for developing and supporting the Global Client Leaders of the company's largest clients, representing a third of WPP's revenue. Prior to that, she held a number of leadership roles at WPP, GroupM and media agency Maxus. She has been a passionate advocate for talent throughout her career and will bring this passion and her business and client experience to the role of Global Chief People Officer. She is committed to developing the best talent and taking action to improve diversity at the highest levels of business, with a strong track record of delivering initiatives to improve gender diversity in particular. As CEO of Maxus, she launched 'Walk The Talk', an initiative to help senior women reach their full potential, and after moving to her current position she sponsored the scheme at a global level for WPP. More than 3,000 female leaders have participated to date around the world. Pattison has also played an important role on WPP's Diversity & Inclusion Council, sponsored the Elevate programme for Black female talent and, as a former President of WACL (Women in Advertising and Communications Leadership), mentored early-career talent across the industry. She is an independent non-executive director for the Rugby World Cup (England 2025) Limited, which will deliver the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2025. She also serves on the board (including as chair of the compensation committee) of Waldencast, the NASDAQ-listed global beauty and wellness company; the advisory board of Planet First Partners, a fund focused on sustainable products and services; Meta's Global Client Council; and the UK EFFies advisory board, focused on driving effectiveness in marketing. Lindsay served two terms on the WEF Global Agenda Council on the Future of Media, including two years as co-chair. Pattison and Jennifer Remling will work closely together on the transition until the end of the year, taking up their new positions in January 2024. An announcement regarding Pattison's successor will be made shortly. Announcement • Oct 11
WPP plc to Report Nine Months, 2023 Results on Oct 26, 2023 WPP plc announced that they will report nine months, 2023 results on Oct 26, 2023 Announcement • Sep 08
Wpp plc Announces Appointment of Andrew Scott as an Executive Director to the Board WPP plc announced that its Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Scott, has been appointed as an Executive Director to the Board of WPP, with immediate effect. Andrew joined WPP in 1999 as Director of Corporate Development. He held a number of other senior roles including Chief Operating Officer for Europe before being appointed global Chief Operating Officer in 2018. Andrew will be paid in accordance with the Directors' Compensation Policy approved by shareholders on 17 May 2023 as set out in the 2022 Annual Report. Andrew will receive an annual base salary of £725,000 in line with his existing compensation arrangements, be eligible to receive annual bonus and Executive Performance Share Plan awards in line with the Policy; be subject to shareholding requirements in line with the Policy and receive a pension contribution in line with those of the wider workforce in the UK. Further details of his remuneration arrangements will be set out in the 2023 Directors' Remuneration Report. Announcement • Jul 12
WPP plc to Report First Half, 2023 Results on Aug 04, 2023 WPP plc announced that they will report first half, 2023 results on Aug 04, 2023 Announcement • Jun 22
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) acquired a 30% stake in Majority from Shaquille O’Neal. WPP plc (LSE:WPP) acquired a 30% stake in Majority from Shaquille O’Neal on June 20, 2023. Shaquille O’Neal set up the creative agency Majority in 2021 alongside chief executive Omid Farhang. Majority’s major clients include Coca-Cola, the NBA and Match Group, which owns the dating app Tinder. Majority is based in Atlanta, Georgia, where WPP this month opened a major new office hub. The group also owns agencies including GroupM, Ogilvy and Wunderman Thompson. Mark Read, chief executive of WPP said WPP excited to be working with Omid and the team as they continue to do great work and change our industry.
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) completed the acquisition of a 30% stake in Majority from Shaquille O’Neal on June 20, 2023. Announcement • Jan 20
WPP plc to Report Fiscal Year 2022 Results on Feb 23, 2023 WPP plc announced that they will report fiscal year 2022 results on Feb 23, 2023 Announcement • Oct 08
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) acquired Mediacom Communications Private Limited from Sam Balsara and Lara Balsara Vajifdar. WPP plc (LSE:WPP) acquired Mediacom Communications Private Limited from Sam Balsara and Lara Balsara Vajifdar on October 7, 2022.
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) completed the acquisition of Mediacom Communications Private Limited from Sam Balsara and Lara Balsara Vajifdar on October 7, 2022. Announcement • Oct 07
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) acquired Passport Brand Design, LLC. WPP plc (LSE:WPP) acquired Passport Brand Design, LLC on October 06, 2022. Passport Brand Design, LLC will join VMLY&R’s global network.
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) completed the acquisition of Passport Brand Design, LLC on October 06, 2022. Announcement • Sep 22
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) acquired The Jeffrey Group, LLC. WPP plc (LSE:WPP) acquired The Jeffrey Group, LLC on September 21, 2022. JeffreyGroup will join the Hill+Knowlton Strategies international network.
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) completed the acquisition of The Jeffrey Group, LLC on September 21, 2022. Announcement • Sep 13
Karen Blackett OBE Joins President of WPP in the UK WPP announced that Karen Blackett OBE has been appointed as President of its business in the UK. The move recognises the importance of the UK as WPP's home market and its second largest worldwide after the United States, and the ongoing simplification and integration of the company's operations. Karen currently serves as UK CEO of GroupM, WPP's media investment business, alongside her role as UK Country Manager for WPP. Karen will step down from GroupM to focus full-time on WPP, and her successor as UK CEO of GroupM will be announced in due course. Announcement • Sep 02
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) agreed to acquire Newcraft Group. WPP plc (LSE:WPP) agreed to acquire Newcraft Group on September 1, 2022. Announcement • Aug 06
Wpp plc Declares Interim Dividend, Payable on 1 November 2022 For 2022, the Board of WPP plc is declaring an interim dividend of 15.0 pence, an increase of 20% year-on-year. The record date for the interim dividend is 14 October 2022, and the dividend will be payable on 1 November 2022. Announcement • Aug 05
Wpp plc Provides Earnings Guidance for the Full Year 2022 WPP plc Provides Earnings Guidance for the full year 2022. For the period, the company Organic growth (defined as like-for-like revenue less pass-through costs growth) of 6.0% - 7.0% (previously 5.5%-6.5%). Announcement • Jul 21
WPP plc to Report First Half, 2022 Results on Aug 05, 2022 WPP plc announced that they will report first half, 2022 results on Aug 05, 2022 Announcement • Jul 19
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) acquired Corebiz Participacoes Ltda. WPP plc (LSE:WPP) acquired Corebiz Participacoes Ltda on July 18, 2022. Corebiz team will join WPP.
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) completed the acquisition of Corebiz Participacoes Ltda on July 18, 2022. Announcement • Jun 15
WPP Appoints Michael Houston as President of Its US Business WPP announced that Michael Houston, Global CEO of Grey, has been appointed as President of WPP’s business in the United States. In this new role, which aligns with WPP’s country leadership structure in other major markets, Michael will represent the company in its market worldwide. WPP employs approximately 20,000 people in the US, where it has annual revenues of around $6 billion. Michael will be responsible for promoting WPP’s offer and collective capabilities, supporting agency CEOs, and bringing together people and resources for clients. He will shape the company’s US campus strategy and play a key role in talent attraction and retention with a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion. He will assist AKQA Group CEO, Ajaz Ahmed, with the transition to new leadership at Grey and will continue as a member of the WPP Executive Committee. As part of his new role, Michael will also serve as WPP’s Executive Sponsor for P&G. Michael joined Grey in 2007. He was named Managing Director of Grey New York in 2011, CEO for North America in 2013 and Global CEO in 2017. In addition to Grey, Michael has held senior leadership positions at KB+P, Landor and Y&R, as well as founding a brand consultancy in the 1990s. He has worked across multiple functions of the marketing services business, including accounts, strategy, business development and corporate communications. He sits on the board of Concern Worldwide, a global humanitarian group dedicated to tackling poverty and suffering in the world’s poorest countries. He also serves on the boards of the Institute of International Education, Effie Worldwide and the AdCouncil. Announcement • Apr 28
WPP plc Raises Earnings Guidance for the Year 2022 WPP plc raised earnings guidance for the year 2022. For the year, LFL revenue less pass-through costs growth now expected to be 5.5% to 6.5%, up from around 5%. Announcement • Apr 27
WPP plc Appoints Kyoko Matsushita as Chief Executive Officer in Japan WPP plc appointed Kyoko Matsushita as chief executive officer in Japan. In this new role, Kyoko will be responsible for WPP's business in Japan, strengthening its collective capabilities and bringing together people andresources on behalf of clients. Kyoko is currently chief executive officer for Essence Global, WPP's global data and measurement-driven full-servicemedia agency, with 23 offices in 12 countries. Kyoko joined Essence in 2014 as the first CEO of the APAC region. Before being named Essence Global's CEO, Kyoko served as the agency's first global chief client officer. As CEO for Essence in APAC, Kyoko oversaw the management of 11 offices in the region and established Essence's presence in Beijing, Bengaluru, Delhi, Jakarta, Melbourne, Mumbai, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney and Tokyo. Kyoko previously led marketing and communications at Sony Europe and all marketing for online games at Electronic Arts in EMEA and APAC. Announcement • Apr 26
WPP plc Launches Everymile WPP launches Everymile – expanding its offer with a new fully managed service that will provide brands with an outsourced direct-to-consumer (DTC) ecommerce solution. Everymile builds on WPP’s existing global omnichannel commerce capabilities in strategy, customer experience and technology development, adding demand generation, online trading and merchandising, supply chain and logistics. It will enable companies and brands to deliver brand-led DTC commerce – from the customer’s screen to their doorstep – simply and cost-effectively. The launch of Everymile makes WPP the only company in its sector to offer an end-to-end ecommerce solution. Everymile will look after the entire process from the minute a customer visits a brand’s website (having first helped the target audience to find that website) and clicks to order, through to the delivery of their purchase. Its solution will be tailored to a client’s specific demands and expectations, allowing brands with a business and commerce strategy in place to quickly overcome many of the operational challenges in ecommerce, such as lack of customer data, cost to entry and management of multiple third parties. Everymile is built on a proprietary ecommerce technology platform, drawing upon the market-leading commerce and technology proposition offered by WPP’s Cloud Commerce Group, which has already helped successfully deliver complex omnichannel commerce to global brands. This platform gives Everymile clients full ownership of their online brand experience and first-party customer data. They can then use these insights to create innovative, personalised experiences, ensuring customer relationships are nurtured and enhanced long-term, as well as aid new product development. WPP agencies will also partner to integrate their creative and media solutions and to give cost-effective global reach and scale. As a fully managed service, Everymile will help bring products to market quickly, and at lower barriers to entry, which will enable clients which choose to do so to build their own in-house DTC capabilities over time. By helping clients to bypass the lengthy journey of managing multiple partners across the value chain, it also ensures consistency across every customer touchpoint throughout the DTC experience. Everymile has a transparent revenue share commercial model – providing clients with the technology, talent and capabilities needed to deliver world class DTC commerce. By working on a revenue share basis, it ensures all teams are focused on delivering great results for customers. Announcement • Apr 01
WPP plc, Annual General Meeting, May 24, 2022 WPP plc, Annual General Meeting, May 24, 2022, at 13:00 Coordinated Universal Time. Location: Sea Containers House, 18 Upper Ground London United Kingdom Announcement • Mar 30
WPP plc Announces Board Committee Membership Changes WPP plc announced that Jacques Aigrain and Sally Susman will not stand for re-election to the Board at the Company's 2022 Annual General Meeting, having completed their nine-year tenure on the Board. Sandrine Dufour will succeed Jacques Aigrain as Chair of the Audit Committee following approval of the Company's 2021 Annual Report. Sandrine has been a member of the Audit Committee since February 3, 2020. Jacques Aigrain and Sally Susman will remain members of the Board committees on which they currently sit until the 2022 Annual General Meeting. Announcement • Mar 06
WPP plc to Discontinue Operations in Russia WPP stands with Ukraine and the international community in condemning the Russian invasion, which has created a humanitarian crisis in the heart of Europe. The Board of WPP has concluded that WPP's ongoing presence in Russia would be inconsistent with values as a company, and the company is therefore discontinuing operations in the country. The company has nearly 1,400 people in Russia who have been dedicated and valued members of organisation, and thank them for their commitment to the company and clients. Announcement • Feb 04
WPP plc to Report Fiscal Year 2021 Results on Feb 24, 2022 WPP plc announced that they will report fiscal year 2021 results on Feb 24, 2022 Announcement • Jan 31
WPP plc Appoints Simon Dingemans to the Board as Non-Executive Director WPP plc announced the appointment of Simon Dingemans to its Board as a Non-Executive Director, with immediate effect. Simon is a Senior Advisor at global investment firm The Carlyle Group with a focus on the healthcare sector as well as investment opportunities in the UK. Prior to joining Carlyle, Simon was Chief Financial Officer of GlaxoSmithKline plc and a member of the main board from 2011 to 2019, where he drove extensive restructuring and change programmes that delivered significant financial and operational efficiencies. Simon will serve as a member of the Audit Committee upon joining the Board. Announcement • Dec 07
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) acquired an unknown majority stake in Made Thought Design Limited. WPP plc (LSE:WPP) acquired an unknown majority stake in Made Thought Design Limited on December 6, 2021. Made Thought will be integrated into AKQA and will join forces with Universal Design Studio and Map Project Office to form The New Standard, an industry-leading collective that provides clients with transformational design and creative thinking.
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) completed the acquisition of an unknown majority stake in Made Thought Design Limited on December 6, 2021. Announcement • Aug 23
WPP plc (LSE : WPP) acquired NPComplete Ltd. WPP plc (LSE : WPP) acquired NPComplete Ltd on August 23, 2021. Satalia is the trading name of NPComplete Ltd.
WPP plc (LSE : WPP) completed the acquisition of NPComplete Ltd on August 23, 2021. Announcement • Aug 06
WPP plc Raises Earnings Guidance for the Fiscal Year 2021 WPP plc raised earnings guidance for the fiscal year 2021. The company expects organic growth (defined as like-for-like revenue less pass-through costs growth) of 9-10% (previously mid-single-digits %), returning to 2019 levels a year ahead of plan. Announcement • Mar 12
WPP plc Announces Final Dividend for 2020, Payable on 9 July 2021 WPP plc announced the board is proposing a final dividend for 2020 of 14.0 pence per share, which together with the interim dividend paid in November 2020 gives a full-year dividend of 24.0 pence per share. The record date for the final dividend is 11 June 2021, and the dividend will be payable on 9 July 2021. Announcement • Mar 05
WPP Appoints Dave Rolfe as Global Head of Production WPP plc announced the appointment of Dave Rolfe to the new role of Global Head of Production, WPP and Hogarth. Dave, who was most recently Head of Production for Global Business Marketing at Facebook, will be based in Hogarth Worldwide, WPP’s creative production arm. He joins in March, reporting to WPP’s incoming Global Chief Creative Officer, Rob Reilly, and Hogarth CEO, Richard Glasson. In this newly created role, Dave will be responsible for executing a strategy that elevates the role of production in delivering creative excellence across WPP. He is tasked with attracting and nurturing the best production talent from across the industry and building a best-in-class production community that offers integrated and innovative solutions for clients. Given Hogarth’s long-standing partnership with Ogilvy, Dave will also oversee production at the agency. Announcement • Feb 18
WPP plc to Report Fiscal Year 2020 Results on Mar 11, 2021 WPP plc announced that they will report fiscal year 2020 results on Mar 11, 2021 Announcement • Feb 11
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) agreed to acquire DTI Digital. WPP plc (LSE:WPP) agreed to acquire DTI Digital on February 10, 2021. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals. Announcement • Feb 06
WPP plc Announces Board Committee Membership Changes WPP plc announced that Tom Ilube and Cindy Rose, Non-Executive Directors of the company will join the Compensation Committee of the Board with immediate effect. Announcement • Feb 02
WPP and TikTok Announce Global Agency Partnership WPP and TikTok announced an innovative global partnership to enable WPP agencies and clients to tap into the culture-shaping impact and reach of the platform. The partnership allows WPP clients to benefit from unique access and capabilities on the TikTok platform. Recognizing the significant opportunities for brands that both short-form video and digital content continue to present, WPP will have early access to advertising products in development, ensuring WPP and its clients remain at the forefront of innovation as TikTok further develops its suite of products for brands. This includes partnering on marketing API integrations and next-generation formats, such as augmented reality offerings. Subvrsive, a WPP company, was one of the first TikTok Effects Partners. TikTok will also collaborate with its talented creator community to build a diverse network of creators to partner with WPP and facilitate exclusive opportunities for collaboration with select advertisers. WPP will be the Lead Agency Development Partner to new creator-focused APIs, which will incorporate WPP’s market leading brand safety methodology while leveraging unique brand and marketer data signals. The goal of these new solutions will be to enable brands to gain deeper insights on creators, connect with diverse voices and have early access to these creators for their campaigns. Additionally, WPP and TikTok will co-create an training and accreditation program for WPP agencies, which will secure priority access to content tailored to media and creative disciplines. This program certifies that WPP’s talent is leading the development of best-in-class creative and media solutions on the TikTok platform. To further build brand safety solutions on the platform, GroupM, the media buying arm of WPP, and TikTok will continue to work on complete integration with third party verification vendors, developing meaningful first party inclusion and exclusion controls, and alignment with the GARM Brand Safety and Suitability Framework. The companies also intend to jointly conduct market-leading research to guide brands on TikTok best practices and assist them with employing data-informed strategies for driving engagement on the platform. GroupM has already engaged TikTok on niche auction training and will continue advancing buying capabilities through its large network of specialists. Announcement • Jan 15
WPP Appoints Rob Reilly as Global Chief Creative Officer WPP announced the appointment of Rob Reilly as Global Chief Creative Officer. Rob – who is currently Global Creative Chairman of McCann Worldgroup – will join WPP in May, reporting to CEO Mark Read. In partnership with Mark, and the CEOs and Chief Creative Officers of WPP’s agencies, Rob will champion creativity within and beyond the company, fostering a culture that delivers extraordinary work to WPP’s clients. He is also tasked with attracting and nurturing the best creative talent, driving inclusion and diversity in creative work and teams, and working with technology partners to fuel the creativity needed for their platforms. Announcement • Jan 12
Management of RLM Finsbury Limited led by Roland Rudd completed the acquisition of 49.99% stake in RLM Finsbury Limited from WPP plc (LSE:WPP). Management of RLM Finsbury Limited led by Roland Rudd agreed to acquire 49.99% stake in RLM Finsbury Limited from WPP plc (LSE:WPP) on July 7, 2020. As part of the broader transaction, Finsbury, The Glover Park Group and Hering Schuppener are joining together to form one global firm. Mark Read, the Chief Executive Officer of WPP, will also join the Board of Directors of the newly integrated company. Carter Eskew and Roland Rudd are Co-Chairmen of the firm. The company will be headquartered in New York City.
Management of RLM Finsbury Limited led by Roland Rudd completed the acquisition of 49.99% stake in RLM Finsbury Limited from WPP plc (LSE:WPP) on January 11, 2021. WPP will remain a 50.01 per cent investor. Alexander Geiser serves as Global Chief Executive Officer and Regional Chief Executive Officer for Europe, Mike Feldman and Winnie Lerner as Regional Co-Chief Executive Officers for North America and Faeth Birch as Regional Chief Executive Officer for the United Kingdom, Middle East and Asia. Announcement • Dec 11
WPP plc Board Committee Membership Changes WPP plc announced changes to the membership of the Board committees which will take effect from 1 January 2021. Angela Ahrendts will join the Sustainability Committee. Sandrine Dufour will join the Compensation Committee. Tom Ilube will join the Audit Committee and the Nomination and Governance Committee. Announcement • Dec 01
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) made an unsolicited proposal to acquire remaining 38.5% stake in WPP AUNZ Limited (ASX:SGN) from minority shareholders for approximately AUD 180. WPP plc (LSE:WPP) made a proposal to acquire remaining 38.5% stake in WPP AUNZ Limited (ASX:SGN) from minority shareholders for approximately AUD 180 on November 28, 2020. As per the transaction, WPP plc will acquire the remaining share from the minority shareholders of WPP AUNZ Limited at an offer price of AUD 0.55 per share. Upon the the completion of the transaction, WPP plc will hold 100% stake in WPP AUNZ Limited. WPP plc has substantial resources available to it to fund implementation of the proposal and confirms that it does not require any external funding. WPP is seeking to enter into a binding implementation agreement prior to December 31, 2020. WPP reserves the right to withdraw this proposal at any time prior to execution of the implementation agreement. The transaction is subject to customary condition and regulatory approval. The board of directors of WPP plc supported and approved the proposal. The completion of the acquisition and payment to minority shareholders is expected to done by March 2021.
Goldman Sachs International acted as financial advisor to WPP plc. MinterEllison acted as legal advisor to WPP plc. UBS Securities Australia Ltd acted as financial advisor to WPP AUNZ Limited. Herbert Smith Freehills acted as legal advisor to WPP AUNZ Limited. Announcement • Nov 18
WPP Announces the Launch of VMLY&R COMMERCE WPP announced the launch of VMLY&R COMMERCE, a new end-to-end “Creative Commerce Company” combining the talent and scale of two thriving global offerings. VMLY&R COMMERCE will operate as a distinct company within the VMLY&R global network. VMLY&R COMMERCE will be central to the VMLY&R network’s total brand and customer experience offering. It will help connected brands grow by unifying client strategies around commerce to drive both brand equity and conversion. Geometry has proven a key partner in helping clients navigate the new commerce landscape. VMLY&R has also seen substantial momentum across its customer experience practice, expanding its ecommerce business with client partners. VMLY&R COMMERCE will align these global powerhouses to create a best-in-class, end-to-end offer for clients. It will leverage the combined assets of the Geometry and VMLY&R networks, which between them have more than 11,000 employees across 80 countries worldwide. VMLY&R COMMERCE will harness Geometry’s proprietary Living CommerceTM platform to guide strategic commerce consultation, development and activation across retail, design, experiential and innovation disciplines. Living CommerceTM facilitates the understanding of how, when and why people buy to deliver creative commerce solutions based on real human insights, driving commercial impact. VMLY&R COMMERCE will be fully operational from January 1, 2021, and the integration of the agencies’ teams and assets will continue through 2021. Announcement • Nov 06
WPP Appoints Dr. Ya-Qin Zhang to Board, Effective 1 January 2021 WPP reported the appointment of Dr. Ya-Qin Zhang to its Board as a Non-Executive Director with effect from 1 January 2021. Dr. Zhang served as President of Baidu Inc. between 2014 and 2019. Prior to joining Baidu, he held several key positions during his 16-year tenure with Microsoft, both in the US and in China, including Corporate Vice President, Chairman of Microsoft China, Managing Director of Microsoft Research Asia, and Chairman of Microsoft Asia R&D group. He was recently appointed Chair Professor of AI Science at Tsinghua University, China and is the founding Dean of the Institute for AI Industry Research at the same university. Dr. Zhang currently serves as a Non-Executive Director of Fortescue Metals Group, and is a Non-Executive Director of AsiaInfo Technologies Limited, and a Non-Executive Director of ChinaSoft International limited. Announcement • Oct 27
Wpp plc Appoints Dr. Ya-Qin Zhang to the Board, with Effect from 1 January 2021 WPP plc announced the appointment of Dr. Ya-Qin Zhang to its Board as a Non-Executive Director with effect from 1 January 2021. Dr. Zhang served as President of Baidu Inc, the global internet services and AI company headquartered in Beijing, between 2014 and 2019. As President, he oversaw the company's overall technologies, emerging businesses and global operations. Prior to joining Baidu, he held several key positions during his 16-year tenure with Microsoft, both in the US and in China, including Corporate Vice President, Chairman of Microsoft China, Managing Director of Microsoft Research Asia, and Chairman of Microsoft Asia R&D group. He was recently appointed Chair Professor of AI Science at Tsinghua University, China and is the founding Dean of the Institute for AI Industry Research at the same university. Announcement • Oct 14
WPP plc Appoints Tom Ilube Cbe to its Board WPP plc reported the appointment of Tom Ilube CBE to its Board as an independent Non-Executive Director with immediate effect. Ilube is a technology entrepreneur and educational philanthropist. He is the founder and CEO of Crossword Cybersecurity Plc. He is a Non-Executive Director of the BBC, where he serves on the audit and risk committee and chairs the fair-trading committee. He is also responsible for protected disclosures across the BBC, chairs the diversity and inclusion advisory group, and recently supported the appointment process for the new Director-General. Announcement • Oct 05
WPP plc Appoints Tom Ilube CBE as an Independent Non-Executive Director WPP plc announced the appointment of Tom Ilube CBE to its Board as an independent Non-Executive Director with immediate effect. Tom is a technology entrepreneur and educational philanthropist. He is the founder and CEO of AIM-listed Crossword Cybersecurity Plc. Announcement • Aug 10
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) completed the acquisition of 100% interest in Millward Brown East Africa Ltd, Millward Brown Nigeria Ltd, Millward Brown West Africa Ltd and 80% interest in Research and Marketing Group Investment Limited(RMGIL) from WPP Scangroup Plc (NASE:SCAN). WPP plc (LSE:WPP) agreed to acquire 100% interest in Millward Brown East Africa Ltd, Millward Brown Nigeria Ltd, Millward Brown West Africa Ltd and 80% interest in Research and Marketing Group Investment Limited(RMGIL) from WPP Scangroup Plc (NASE:SCAN) on November 1, 2019. WPP plc (LSE:WPP) entered into an agreement to acquire 100% interest in Millward Brown East Africa Ltd, Millward Brown Nigeria Ltd, Millward Brown West Africa Ltd and 80% interest in Research and Marketing Group Investment Limited(RMGIL) from WPP Scangroup Plc (NASE:SCAN) for $54.3 million on November 26, 2019. Under the terms of the transaction, WPP Scangroup is expected to receive $49.74 million and profit amount from January 1, 2020 to the completion date, which is expected to be $3 million and an additional consideration of up to $1.52 million over next three years in the event that certain contingent liabilities are lower than estimated. The agreed enterprise value of this transaction is $63.58 million with multiples of 8.2 times EBITDA, 9.24 times EBIT and 1.97 times revenue applicable to the disposal. In a related transactions, Bain Capital acquired 60% stake in Kantar from WPP plc on December 5, 2019 and International Research and Marketing Group Holdings has agreed under a separate share purchase agreement to sell its 20% shareholding in RMGIL to Kantar Square simultaneously with the disposal.
This transaction is subject to WPP Scangroup’s shareholder approval, regulatory approvals from the CMA, notification to CCC, notification to and approval by the CAK, FCC, FCCPC and SEC and release of Millward Brown East Africa Limited from the Debenture. As on January 24, 2020, CAK issued their approval. The Board of Directors of WPP Scangroup and Independent Kantar Transaction Committee each unanimously recommends this transaction. As of May 27, 2020, WPP Scangroup shareholders approved this transaction. And this transaction is expected to close before the end of June 2020. The Board is considering the most optimal use of the proceeds from the disposal taking into consideration potential expansion, capital needs and cash flows but expects at least 40% of the net proceeds will be returned to Shareholders in the form of a special dividend. Cynthia Mbaru of Dyer & Blair Investment Bank Limited acted as fairness opinion provider and Anjarwalla and Khanna Advocates acted as legal advisor to WPP Scangroup.
WPP plc (LSE:WPP) completed the acquisition of 100% interest in Millward Brown East Africa Ltd, Millward Brown Nigeria Ltd, Millward Brown West Africa Ltd and 80% interest in Research and Marketing Group Investment Limited(RMGIL) from WPP Scangroup Plc (NASE:SCAN) on June 30, 2020. All the conditions precedent in agreement including regulatory approvals have been satisfied. Announcement • Jul 31
Bruin Sports Capital LLC completed the acquisition of unknown majority stake in Two Circles Limited from WPP plc (LSE:WPP). Bruin Sports Capital LLC agreed to acquire unknown majority stake in Two Circles Limited from WPP plc (LSE:WPP) on December 16, 2019. Post deal completion, WPP will continue to hold a minority stake in Two Circles. The deal is subject to regulatory approval. James Howe of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP acted as legal advisor to Bruin Sports Capital LLC. Andrew Bretherton and Leon Arnold of Freeths LLP acted as legal advisors to Two Circles Limited.
Bruin Sports Capital LLC completed the acquisition of unknown majority stake in Two Circles Limited from WPP plc (LSE:WPP) in March 2020. Announcement • Jul 09
Management of RLM Finsbury Limited led by Roland Rudd agreed to acquire 49.99% stake in RLM Finsbury Limited from WPP plc (LSE:WPP). Management of RLM Finsbury Limited led by Roland Rudd agreed to acquire 49.99% stake in RLM Finsbury Limited from WPP plc (LSE:WPP) on July 7, 2020. As part of the broader transaction, Finsbury, The Glover Park Group and Hering Schuppener are joining together to form one global firm. Mark Read, the Chief Executive Officer of WPP, will also join the Board of Directors of the newly integrated company. The company will be headquartered in New York City. Announcement • Jun 30
WPP plc to Report First Half, 2020 Results on Aug 27, 2020 WPP plc announced that they will report first half, 2020 results on Aug 27, 2020 
