In this recent article in Campaign magazine, Lorna Tilbian joins other industry experts with her thoughts on the appointment of the new CEO of WPP. The full article which was published on 15 July follows, with thanks to Campaign for their permission to republish here:
Last week, WPP announced Microsoft’s Cindy Rose as its new chief executive (10 July), after a month of speculation over Mark Read’s successor.
Read announced he would be leaving the company after seven years in early June. Since then, names such as Matt Brittin, Google’s former EMEA president, and David Droga, outgoing Accenture Song chief executive, were rumoured as potential successors, while Rose, Microsoft’s chief operating officer, global enterprise, had seemingly gone somewhat under the radar.
Analysts reacted positively to Rose’s appointment. Barclays noted her background in tech and her US-British citizenship, which meant she was “ticking (almost) all the boxes” as “the US market is a key one for WPP to turn around”.
Morgan Stanley, meanwhile, noted her “digital transformation and technology knowledge,” but also her lack of ad agency experience, even if her time on the board at WPP could help her get up to speed faster.
WPP also released an unscheduled trading update which showed revenue-less pass-through-costs are set to fall between 5.5% and 6% in Q2 2025.
So, what does Cindy Rose bring to the table which could help WPP? And what does it need?
Lorna Tilbian
Chairman, Dowgate Capital
The view in the Square Mile is that her task will involve root-and-branch transformation of the business, or even breaking up the group to crystallise shareholder value.
Ian Whittaker
Founder, Liberty Sky Advisors
The board has made a clear statement with Cindy Rose’s appointment, namely that it sees the path of WPP – and agencies generally – more down towards the technology route. Certainly, with Rose’s appointment, the senior leadership team at WPP has less of an agency feel and more of an operational and technologically driven focus.
Time will tell whether that is the right approach. For WPP now, the key thing is stabilisation – both in terms of its staff and its clients. I would worry less about the share price as, if it can fix its issues, the former will take care of itself.
Tristan Rice
Partner, SI Global
Cindy Rose inherits a WPP that is out of step with the market – haemorrhaging clients, weighed down by complexity and with its stock price at a 16-year low. Rose’s appointment signals that WPP knows it needs a reboot. Her background in tech and transformation is certainly relevant, but this isn’t a PowerPoint challenge, it’s a cultural and commercial one. Clients increasingly want fewer layers, faster answers and clearer value.
As a Microsoft alumna and current WPP board member, Rose gets digital, and isn’t naive to the beast she’s taking on, but can she cut through the politics and inertia to rewire WPP around client need rather than internal structure? The industry will be watching and Rose is unlikely to be given much of a grace period. Some will say that WPP needed a more radical outsider, but perhaps it requires someone with knowledge of both its legacy business and its tech-driven future.
Ajaz Ahmed
Founder and former chief executive, AKQA, and founder, Studio.One
In addition to discipline, professional management know how and a clear sense of accountability, Cindy also brings a growth-oriented mindset, strategic optionality and credibility with large clients. Her relationship with Microsoft should not be underestimated, given its enterprise joint ventures, such as the creation of the company Avanade, which it launched with Accenture.
But the central question is this: would WPP win more business, retain more talent and deliver more value if it were structured like a modern professional services firm, with one brand, one P&L, and unified delivery? Or would clients, employees and shareholders be better served if the branded operating units were spun out and given the freedom to thrive independently? WPP’s official announcement ticks the usual PR boxes but lacks specificity and sidesteps what really matters: what’s going to change, how quickly and how progress will be measured.
Cindy’s first 90 days will be crucial, not just to land some major clients, but to lay out a decisive plan that either integrates or liberates its subsidiaries. That’s what will help determine whether this marks a major turning point or if it’s just another reshuffle.
Jim Houghton
Partner, Waypoint Partners
Since pre-Read, WPP has been seeking to consolidate itself to profit growth and has probably kept pace with its peers on AI (other than Publicis?).
The Rose era has to be transformational. She knows this as she has been on the board since 2019. She’ll also know where most of the structural barriers will lie. And she’s hailed as a highly skilled operator who, uniquely for the peer group, hasn’t been promoted through the ranks but brings serious tech and media savvy. Stellar credentials. It’s a truly tough gig, however, with the dark backdrop of a profit warning sparked by client losses, this role is equal parts stock market-facing, Group BD supremo and internal change evangelist. A true test of an operator.
Lucy Jameson
Founder, Uncommon Creative Studio
Cindy was one of our clients when I was CEO of Grey London, when we ran a lot of Vodafone business. I probably met her only a handful of times before we left to set up Uncommon, but from what I saw, she was smart, straight-talking and had good creative instincts. She actually seemed excited by brand and creative, which was unusual in that organisation at that time. That all bodes well for WPP.
Put that together with her experience at Microsoft running big-tech programmes for enterprise clients, and she might just provide the transformation that WPP desperately needs. Despite our past history with WPP, I still want to see it doing well. WPP is a huge employer in the UK and it should be a flagbearer for British creativity and innovation across the globe. Lastly, on a personal note, I’m thrilled to see a woman at the helm.
Zaid Al-Zaidy
Chief executive, Beyond
Stepping into a CEO role at rock bottom grants you a clear mandate: reimagine the business and execute bold change. If you fail, you can point to the past; if you succeed, you become the heroine. Clearly, Rose’s track record of leading digital transformations in “big tech” uniquely positions her to revitalise WPP’s software and consulting services and attract top talent from the “magic seven”.
What else does WPP need? A new identity and purpose. Founded in 1971 as Wire and Plastic Products to make wire baskets, its origin lacks soul and relevance. Enter Ogilvy Inc: the creative people-and-technology firm, a new industry titan celebrated for world-class creativity and seamless, cross-discipline collaboration. One team. One culture. One P&L. One north star. By dismantling silos, we deliver consistent client experiences and superior outcomes. No longer a faceless corporation, Ogilvy Inc. is a single brand with a beating heart and has a founder story that we can look up to – offering clients brilliant marketing consultancy services, access to self-serve software platforms and the brightest brains, crafting and distributing brand stories at scale. Welcome to the “magic 8”.
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