- CEO
- Cindy Rose Quackenbush
- Full Time Employees
- 108,044
- Sector
- Communication Services
- Industry
- Advertising Agencies
- Address
- Sea Containers London United Kingdom SE1 9GL
- IPO Date
- Dec 29, 1987
- Business
- WPP plc is a British multinational communications, advertising, public relations, technology and commerce holding company headquartered in London, England. Founded in 1971 as Wire and Plastic Products plc and transformed into a marketing services powerhouse following Martin Sorrell's acquisition of a controlling stake in 1985, the company operates as the world's largest advertising agency group with approximately 130,000 employees across more than 100 countries. WPP provides a comprehensive portfolio of services including advertising through agencies such as Ogilvy, VML and Grey; media investment management via GroupM entities like EssenceMediacom, Mindshare and Wavemaker; public relations and public affairs via Burson, Hill+Knowlton Strategies and BCW; data analytics, market research and consulting through Kantar and choreograph; experience design and commerce solutions encompassing e-commerce strategy, retail design and customer experience delivery; technology implementation, marketing technology consulting and AI-driven platforms; production services via Hogarth; branding and identity through Landor and Superunion; as well as influencer marketing, social media management, healthcare communications, specialist communications and shopper marketing promotions. The company serves global clients across industries including fast-moving consumer goods, technology, healthcare, finance and entertainment, with integrated offerings focused on creative transformation, data, commerce and technology.
In recent developments, WPP appointed Cindy Rose as chief executive in September 2025, succeeding Mark Read, amid a strategic overhaul to enhance efficiency including slashed 2025 sales guidance of a 5.5% to 6% decline in like-for-like revenue less pass-through costs. The company launched WPP Open Pro, an AI-powered marketing platform enabling brands to independently plan, create and publish campaigns, alongside expanding its AI capabilities through a five-year, $400 million partnership with Google providing early access to advanced AI models. WPP completed the sale of its majority stake in FGS Global, a strategic communications advisory firm, to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts for $767 million in December 2024, accelerating value realization from its advisory businesses following prior mergers and investments; it also announced a strategic investment and partnership with Stability AI in March 2025 to advance generative AI for media and entertainment production. Earlier restructurings encompassed the creation of VML through mergers of J. Walter Thompson and Wunderman, Burson from Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe, and simplification of GroupM operations, representing about 70% of revenue integration efforts completed in 2024.