Cindy Rose to take over as CEO of WPP
Cindy Rose has been appointed as the next CEO of WPP. She will assume the role in September 2025, leading a team of over 120,000 people, in more than 100 countries.
WPP is a British multinational communications, advertising, public relations, technology, and commerce holding company. The London-headquartered firm – which is the parent of famous agencies including AKQA, BCW, Mindshare, Ogilvy, and VML – is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For the last seven years, it has been headed by Mark Read, who has worked to modernise, simplify and transform the company.
However, as WPP looks to adapt to a range of new challenges in the communications market, Read has decided to call time on his more-than 30 years at the firm. In September 2025, he will step down as CEO – staying on until the end of the year to support his successor in an advisory capacity. Stepping into Read’s shoes will be Cindy Rose, who has worked extensively with the incumbent CEO in recent years.
Speaking on the news, Read said, “Having worked closely with Cindy for the last six years, I am delighted to see her appointed as CEO. 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.”
Rose serves on the WPP board, but has also worked at Microsoft for the last nine years, where she is currently chief operating officer for global enterprise. In this role she helps the world’s largest companies use digital technology and AI to drive business transformation. Previously she was also CEO of Microsoft in the UK. Elsewhere, she also held senior roles at Vodafone, Virgin Media and The Walt Disney Company, where she spent 15 years - latterly as managing director of Disney Interactive Media Group in the EMEA region.
Next chapter
Rose remarked, “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. 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.”
Looking ahead, Rose, who has both British and American citizenship, 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.
Philip Jansen, chair of WPP, added, “Cindy 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.”
