Cindy Rose lays out three core principles for ‘new WPP’ at first global townhall as CEO

New Delhi: At her first global townhall as Chief Executive Officer of WPP, Cindy Rose told employees that the “best of WPP is yet to come” and outlined a strategy anchored in three guiding principles: putting people first, winning for clients, and harnessing the company’s AI advantage.

Rose, who has been associated with WPP for over 15 years, said her decision to take on the role stemmed from her belief in the company’s ability to “write the next chapter in WPP’s history.” 

She addressed employees both in person at the company’s 3WTC Campus in New York and remotely.

Three strategic pillars

• Putting people first: Rose emphasised that WPP is a people business and must ensure a world-class employee experience. “Priority number one will be to create an environment to help you grow as professionals – I want WPP to be the home for the world's most exceptional talent,” she said.
  
  
• Winning for clients: She called on teams to be “completely client obsessed” by listening closely to what clients want and working more collaboratively across units to go the extra mile in driving client success.
  
  
• Harnessing AI advantage: Highlighting WPP’s significant investments in AI, Rose urged employees to become “AI superusers” and use the tools to improve efficiency, creativity and business outcomes. “We need to lead with these in every client conversation,” she added.
  
  

Rose told employees that executing these principles would allow WPP to deliver “an unrivalled combination of passionate, talented people, a simpler client proposition and go-to-market powered by the best AI capabilities in the market.”

“It’s a privilege to lead the new WPP and write our next chapter together,” she said. “WPP in many ways has changed history through the work we do for our clients, work that has changed the industry, changed culture and changed the world. There’s no better time than right now for us to make history again and I cannot wait.”

Rose succeeded Mark Read, who stepped down earlier this year after six years as CEO. Read had steered WPP through a major restructuring, simplification of its agency portfolio and early investments in AI and technology partnerships. Rose, who previously led Microsoft UK and has held senior roles at WPP, Disney and Virgin Media, was chosen to accelerate WPP’s transformation in the age of AI and client-first marketing.