One week on the job and CEO Cindy Rose is already making huge strikes at WPP.
On Friday (Sept. 5), the holding firm introduced that Ogilvy international CEO Devika Bulchandani will tackle the function of chief working officer (COO) at WPP, filling a place left vacant final week by longtime firm veteran Andrew Scott.
Taking over Bulchandani’s function at Ogilvy is Laurent Ezekiel, who will even undertake the title of govt sponsor for WPP Open X, the holding firm’s bespoke company for The Coca-Cola Firm. Ezekiel will likely be succeeded as CEO of Open X by Floriane Tripolino, international consumer lead at WPP overseeing the Nestlé account.
The strikes come one week into Rose’s tenure as CEO. The previous Microsoft exec was appointed to the prime job in July after Mark Learn introduced his departure in June. Her first day was Monday, Sept. 1.
In a press release, she stated the appointments “underscore WPP’s dedication to delivering unparalleled worth and innovation.”
“Devika’s deep obsession with serving to our purchasers develop and win will assist us speed up our progress throughout the complete WPP panorama. Laurent’s shut, profitable partnership with The Coca Cola Firm and creation of WPP Open X offers him useful perception and expertise to assist navigate the wants of our largest purchasers, lots of that are housed in Ogilvy,” she continued.
As COO, Bulchandani will oversee WPP’s nation managers, progress groups, and consumer leaders to tug collectively bespoke options throughout the holding firm for purchasers.
“I actually imagine that after we seamlessly deliver collectively WPP’s world-class capabilities, we grow to be an invincible power–one which unlocks unparalleled worth for our purchasers,” she stated in a press release.
Ezekiel will likely be accountable for Ogilvy’s international enterprise throughout promoting, PR, social and affect, buyer engagement, consulting, and well being. That features Gray, which moved from underneath AKQA to Ogilvy in Could.
“The way forward for Ogilvy is brilliant, and I’m thrilled to be part of writing the following chapter of promoting historical past with our groups and purchasers,” he stated in a press launch.
A brand new period for WPP
As Rose takes the helm, she’s underneath stress to show round WPP after a troublesome few years.
In its newest earnings report, WPP reported a income drop of 5.8% and introduced a strategic evaluation of the enterprise.
A part of that plan is guaranteeing ongoing sturdy management at Ogilvy, which laid off 5% of its international workforce, or roughly 700 staff, in June, in addition to defending and rising WPP’s relationship with Coca-Cola, after the holding firm misplaced its North American media enterprise to Publicis earlier this yr.
“These leaders embody the strategic imaginative and prescient and inventive excellence that outline WPP,” Rose stated. “Their collective experience will play a vital half in serving to me drive WPP to our subsequent part of progress and guaranteeing our purchasers proceed to win in a quickly evolving market.”
