Latest news with #GroupM
Campaign ME
6 days ago
- Business
- Campaign ME
Seedtag names Brian Gleason as global CEO
Seedtag has appointed Brian Gleason as its new global Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 August 2025, as the company enters its next chapter of international expansion and deepens its investment in neuro-contextual advertising. The move follows continued momentum for the adtech company in key markets including the Middle East, where Seedtag has expanded its AI-powered contextual solutions for regional brands and publishers. Gleason brings close to two decades of leadership in digital media and adtech, having previously held senior roles at Criteo, GroupM (now WPP Media), [m]PLATFORM and Xaxis. He was instrumental in shaping Criteo's commerce media strategy and scaling global data-driven operations. 'I am incredibly excited to join Seedtag at such a pivotal time in the advertising industry,' Gleason said. 'This is a transformational moment with AI at the center of that evolution. Seedtag's neuro-contextual AI approach is groundbreaking, which establishes the company as a pioneer in deeply understanding audience interest, emotion, and intent across CTV and open web. I look forward to working with this talented team, continuing to accelerate our global growth, deliver unparalleled value to our clients, and continue pushing the boundaries of privacy-first advertising.' Founders and co-CEOs Jorge Poyatos and Albert Nieto will transition into new roles as Chief Innovation Officer and Strategic Advisor, respectively, while continuing to serve on Seedtag's board of directors. Commenting on the leadership change, Jorge Poyatos, co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer, said: 'The world and our industry are in a period of profound transformation, I am convinced that my new role will allow me to maximize my contribution to Seedtag. Our progress in Agentic AI combined with the addition of Brian as CEO put us in a very unique place to define how the next decade of adtech will look.' Albert Nieto, co-founder and now Strategic Advisor, added: 'Leading Seedtag as co-founder and co-CEO has been the most rewarding journey of my professional life. Building this company with Jorge and our incredible Seedtaggers has been an experience I'll always cherish and a legacy we're incredibly proud of. With Brian now leading the company, I'm confident Seedtag is ready for its next leap.' The appointment comes as Seedtag continues to scale its proprietary AI platform, Liz, across channels including CTV and the open web – offering privacy-safe, full-funnel targeting rooted in emotion, intent and interest.
Mint
6 days ago
- Business
- Mint
WPP Media dominated India's $16-billion media agency market in 2024: COMvergence
Mumbai: WPP Media, formerly GroupM, has emerged as the top media agency group in India with $6.6 billion in billings in 2024, according to the latest Billings and Market Share report by COMvergence. The report, which tracks agency-level billings across both global and Indian markets, puts IPG Mediabrands and Publicis Media in second and third place with $2.0 billion and $1.7 billion in billings, respectively. The total market assessed by COMvergence in India stood at $16 billion, based on billings from 20 agency networks and two leading independents. The 2024 report also showed a significant uptick in digital media, with agencies clocking $6.8 billion in digital spends and digital comprising an average of 52% of total agency billings. That's up from just 42% in 2021, marking a sharp 10-point swing in three years. 'In the last three years from we have seen a shift in digital in India in the Billings from an average digital share of 42% in 2021 to an average digital share of 52% in 2024. There has been a marked increase in the digital spends in the FMCG, Auto category further boosted by Quick commerce spends on digital,' said Priyanka Mehra, regional director –south Asia & India at COMvergence. Within individual agencies, WPP entities took the top three spots. Mindshare led with $2.6 billion in billings, followed by Wavemaker at $1.8 billion, and EssenceMediacom at $1.7 billion. IPG's Lodestar UM came in fourth at $1 billion, while Madison Media—India's most prominent independent agency—rounded out the top five with $970 million in billings. The report reflects increasing consolidation among global holding companies in India's media planning and buying business, with WPP Media continuing to command significant market share despite recent organisational overhauls and the rebranding of GroupM under the WPP Media identity. Its India operations continue to house some of the country's biggest clients across FMCG, telecom, auto, and ecommerce. While IPG and Publicis have been growing steadily, particularly in digital and ecommerce-driven campaigns, the gap between the top group and the rest remains substantial. COMvergence's analysis is based on agency-reported data, public disclosures, proprietary modelling, and client-agency relationships. Globally, WPP Media retained its position as the largest media holding company with $64.6 billion in total billings. Publicis Media followed at $54.7 billion, and Omnicom Media Group came in third at $45.6 billion. Collectively, the top three represented 71% of total billings among the six largest holding companies. Among individual media agencies, Omnicom's OMD led globally with $26.3 billion in billings, followed by EssenceMediacom at $24.6 billion and Mindshare at $21.9 billion. India continues to be a strategic growth market for most global agency networks, given the scale of consumer marketing and the rise of digital-first sectors such as fintech, diect-to-consumer (D2C) brands, edtech and quick commerce. COMvergence's report, though focused on the larger networks, offers one of the few structured overviews of the media buying ecosystem in India, where granular market-level data remains scarce and often unaudited. The average digital share of 52% is also a sign of structural change, analysts said, indicating a move beyond traditional TV-led planning to omnichannel media strategies. Many agencies are also investing in full-funnel services that combine creative, content, media, and commerce, often led by tech-enabled offerings or proprietary tools. COMvergence, founded by Olivier Gauthier, is considered one of the most independent and credible global sources for agency billings and market share benchmarking. Its data is used widely by procurement teams, holding companies, consultants, and M&A analysts. For networked agencies, the rankings offer a clear picture of leadership, scale, and competitive movement. With marketers under pressure to drive growth, efficiency, and visibility in a fragmented media environment, the next phase of competition will likely be shaped by tech integration, measurement, and platform partnerships, areas where the largest groups have already made significant bets.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Mark Read to retire as WPP CEO
HighlightsMark Read, the chief executive of British advertising giant WPP, will retire at the end of the year after a seven-year tenure leading the company that owns renowned agencies like Ogilvy and GroupM. During his leadership, Mark Read focused on streamlining WPP's vast operations and strengthening its core business, while the company faced challenges in adapting to digital platforms and evolving industry dynamics. WPP has not yet named a successor for Mark Read, and the new chief executive will be tasked with revitalizing growth and navigating the rapidly changing global advertising landscape. Mark Read , the chief executive of British advertising giant WPP , will retire from his position at the end of the year, concluding a seven-year tenure leading the company that owns renowned agencies like Ogilvy and GroupM. The announcement was made by WPP on Monday. Read's departure comes as WPP, which recently lost its title as the world's largest advertising group to Publicis, navigates a challenging market environment. In February, WPP projected a flat to 2% decline in growth for the current year, signaling ongoing struggles. During his leadership, Read focused on streamlining WPP's vast operations and strengthening its core business. In a statement, he affirmed that he had successfully built "a simpler, stronger business," and that now was "the right time to hand over to a new leader." Read took the helm in 2018, succeeding founder Martin Sorrell. His time as CEO saw WPP grapple with evolving industry dynamics, including the rise of digital platforms and in-house agency models. The company has been working to adapt its offerings and maintain its competitive edge amidst these shifts. WPP has not yet named a successor, and the search for a new chief executive is expected to begin shortly. The incoming leader will face the task of revitalizing growth and steering the advertising powerhouse through a rapidly changing global advertising landscape.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Here's What We Like About Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad's (KLSE:MRDIY) Upcoming Dividend
Some investors rely on dividends for growing their wealth, and if you're one of those dividend sleuths, you might be intrigued to know that Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad (KLSE:MRDIY) is about to go ex-dividend in just 3 days. The ex-dividend date generally occurs two days before the record date, which is the day on which shareholders need to be on the company's books in order to receive a dividend. It is important to be aware of the ex-dividend date because any trade on the stock needs to have been settled on or before the record date. Meaning, you will need to purchase Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad's shares before the 6th of June to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 8th of July. The company's next dividend payment will be RM00.014 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of RM0.05 to shareholders. Last year's total dividend payments show that Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad has a trailing yield of 3.2% on the current share price of RM01.58. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. Dividends are usually paid out of company profits, so if a company pays out more than it earned then its dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut. Its dividend payout ratio is 85% of profit, which means the company is paying out a majority of its earnings. The relatively limited profit reinvestment could slow the rate of future earnings growth. It could become a concern if earnings started to decline. Yet cash flow is typically more important than profit for assessing dividend sustainability, so we should always check if the company generated enough cash to afford its dividend. Dividends consumed 55% of the company's free cash flow last year, which is within a normal range for most dividend-paying organisations. It's positive to see that Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut. View our latest analysis for Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends. Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. For this reason, we're glad to see Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad's earnings per share have risen 13% per annum over the last five years. It paid out more than three-quarters of its earnings in the last year, even though earnings per share are growing rapidly. Higher earnings generally bode well for growing dividends, although with seemingly strong growth prospects we'd wonder why management are not reinvesting more in the business. Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the last five years, Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad has lifted its dividend by approximately 21% a year on average. It's great to see earnings per share growing rapidly over several years, and dividends per share growing right along with it. From a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad? It's good to see earnings are growing, since all of the best dividend stocks grow their earnings meaningfully over the long run. That's why we're glad to see Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad's earnings per share growing, although as we saw, the company is paying out more than half of its earnings and cashflow - 85% and 55% respectively. In summary, while it has some positive characteristics, we're not inclined to race out and buy Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad today. So while Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad looks good from a dividend perspective, it's always worthwhile being up to date with the risks involved in this stock. To help with this, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad that you should be aware of before investing in their shares. Generally, we wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see. Here's a curated list of interesting stocks that are strong dividend payers. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Zawya
29-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
WPP Media launches as fully integrated, AI-powered media company
WPP today strengthened its position as the leading marketing services business for the intelligent era with the launch of its AI-driven media company, WPP Media. Reflecting growing demand from marketers for fully integrated capabilities, WPP Media replaces GroupM as the name for WPP's global media company. WPP Media manages more than $60 billion in annual media investment and works with more than 75% of the world's leading advertisers in over 80 markets. Mindshare, Wavemaker, and EssenceMediacom will continue to provide clients with dedicated teams as brands within WPP Media, leveraging common capabilities, technology and support functions. WPP Media is seamlessly connected with WPP's wider global agency networks and capabilities through WPP Open – WPP's AI-enabled marketing system – creating the industry's most advanced platform for scaled and integrated creative, production, data, commerce and personalized media delivery services. WPP Open is backed by £300m in investment each year and partnerships with the leading AI companies. WPP Media's fully integrated offering enables clients to unify media, data and production and holistically manage their owned, earned, shared and paid activities to deliver personalization at scale. The company's services are further enhanced with best-in-class connected commerce and state-of-the-art measurement and analytics capabilities. WPP Media is underpinned by a commitment to accelerate investments in learning and development initiatives that will provide career pathways to the jobs of the future, ensuring employees are empowered to lead marketing and media transformation in the AI era. For more information about WPP Media's integrated capabilities and to explore WPP Media's new brand identity, visit Brian Lesser, CEO of WPP Media, said: 'Consumers already expect advertising to be relevant and engaging and buying experiences to be seamless; those expectations are only going to accelerate in the age of AI. WPP Media is built for a world in which media is everywhere and in everything. By investing in our AI-powered product, integrating our offer with data and technology, and equipping our people with future-facing skills, we're helping our clients to stay ahead of rapidly changing consumer behavior and unlock the limitless opportunities for growth that AI will create.' Today's announcement comes as WPP launches a new cross-channel B2B campaign targeting business leaders and senior marketing decision-makers. The campaign showcases WPP's AI credentials, its integrated proposition, and the advanced capabilities of WPP Open. For more, visit Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: 'We believe that WPP is the strongest marketing partner for the world's leading brands in the AI era, where technology and talent converge. The move to WPP Media continues our strategy to simplify and integrate our offer for clients. While GroupM was built for a time when media scale mattered most, WPP Media reflects the power of AI, data and technology and simpler, more integrated solutions. 'Our vision for the future is clear – marketing that is informed by data, led by seamlessly connected teams of brilliant people, and full of new opportunities for our clients.' Contact details: Felicity Stokes Head of Marketing and Communications, WPP Media MENA +971521469638 About WPP WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities. For more information, visit About WPP Media WPP Media is WPP's global media collective. In a world where media is everywhere and in everything, we bring the best platform, people, and partners together to create limitless opportunities for growth. For more information, visit
