Cindy Rose named new CEO of WPP, succeeding Mark Read
plc has announced the appointment of
Cindy Rose
as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 September 2025. She will take over from
Mark Read
, who will step down after leading the company for seven years. Read will continue to support Rose through the transition period until the end of the year.
Rose, currently Chief Operating Officer of Global Enterprise at Microsoft, brings decades of leadership experience across technology, telecommunications, media, and entertainment. Her previous roles include President of Microsoft Western Europe, CEO of Microsoft UK, and senior positions at Vodafone, Virgin Media, and The
Walt Disney Company
.
She has served as a Non-Executive Director on WPP's board since 2019. Commenting on her new role, Rose said, '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,' she added. '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.'
WPP Chair
Philip Jansen
praised the appointment, calling Rose 'an outstanding and inspirational business leader.' He said, 'Her expertise in this landscape will be hugely valuable to WPP as the industry navigates fundamental changes and macroeconomic uncertainty.'
He also thanked outgoing CEO Mark Read for his 'tireless commitment during more than 30 years with WPP and in particular the progress he has made to modernise, simplify and transform the company.'
Read expressed full support for Rose's succession: 'Having worked closely with Cindy for the last six years, I am delighted to see her appointed as CEO of WPP. 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.'
Rose holds dual British and American citizenship and will be based in both London and New York. She was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to UK technology. Her annual salary will be £1.25 million, with additional incentive-based compensation and benefits aligned with WPP's shareholder-approved remuneration policy.
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