WPP taps Microsoft exec Cindy Rose to rebuild ad group

Britain’s advertising giant WPP named Cindy Rose, a senior Microsoft executive and current board member, as its new CEO on Thursday. Rose will take over from Mark Read on September 1, four months earlier than initially planned, as WPP faces the challenge of recovering from a major profit warning that sent its shares to a 16-year low.

Rose, who has served on WPP’s board since 2019, brings nearly a decade of senior leadership experience from Microsoft, where she most recently served as Chief Operating Officer, Global Enterprise. She also led Microsoft’s UK business and has past experience at Vodafone and Virgin Media.

WPP Chairman Philip Jansen praised Rose’s expertise in digital transformation and artificial intelligence, highlighting her role in helping large enterprises adopt new business models and revenue streams. He noted that her skills will be crucial as WPP navigates industry disruptions and macroeconomic challenges.

WPP is currently struggling with client spending slowdowns, loss of major accounts, and reduced new business, all of which contributed to the recent downgrade in profit outlook. The group, which lost its status as the world’s largest advertising firm to France’s Publicis last year, is also adapting to the rise of AI tools that empower clients to create and manage their own marketing campaigns.

Rose stated, “We have and continue to build market-leading AI capabilities, alongside an unrivalled reputation for creative excellence and a preeminent client list.”