WPP, the world’s largest advertising and media company, has announced its acquisition of InfoSum, a leading data collaboration platform, in a strategic move to enhance its AI-powered marketing and data capabilities. The deal, valued at $63 million, marks a major step forward in WPP’s efforts to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving advertising landscape.
Founded in 2015, InfoSum specializes in cross-cloud data collaboration technology, enabling businesses to integrate datasets securely without transferring or exposing sensitive information. Its privacy-first infrastructure is widely used by major media platforms like Netflix, ITV, and Samsung Ads, as well as data partners such as Experian and TransUnion. InfoSum’s patented technology facilitates audience targeting, campaign measurement, and AI model training while ensuring compliance with global privacy standards.
InfoSum will be integrated into GroupM, WPP’s media investment arm, and its capabilities will also become part of WPP Open, the company’s AI-driven operating system. This integration will allow WPP clients to combine their first-party data with InfoSum’s vast network of data signals and WPP’s proprietary assets. The result is a powerful ecosystem for building custom AI models, generating actionable insights, and optimizing campaigns at unprecedented speed and scale.
Mark Read, CEO of WPP, highlighted the significance of the acquisition: “Bringing InfoSum into WPP is a major step forward for our data capabilities. It allows clients to stay in control of their first-party data while accessing high-quality, privacy-compliant data that is unmatched in the market.”
The acquisition comes at a time when traditional identity-based targeting methods are under pressure due to third-party cookie deprecation and privacy-focused regulations like Apple’s AppTrackingTransparency framework. By leveraging InfoSum’s federated learning techniques, WPP aims to move beyond these limitations. Clients can now train AI models using diverse datasets from multiple sources without compromising privacy or security.
Brian Lesser, CEO of GroupM and former CEO of InfoSum, emphasized the transformative potential: “This acquisition enables marketers to unlock the full value of their business intelligence while creating exponential growth opportunities through AI-driven solutions.”
InfoSum CEO Lauren Wetzel will continue to lead the company while taking on an additional role as Chief Solutions Officer at GroupM. In this expanded capacity, she will oversee the development of innovative data-driven products for WPP clients globally.
The acquisition positions WPP as a leader in AI-driven marketing solutions by combining cutting-edge technology with its extensive client network. With access to hundreds of billions of data signals across sectors like retail, media, and identity solutions, WPP clients can expect measurable improvements in campaign performance within hours rather than weeks.
The move also underscores WPP’s commitment to investing in advanced technologies that redefine what’s possible for advertisers while addressing growing concerns around data privacy and security.
WPP’s acquisition of InfoSum represents a bold leap into the future of AI-driven marketing. By integrating InfoSum’s privacy-first technology into its ecosystem, WPP is not only enhancing its competitive edge but also empowering clients to achieve unparalleled results in an increasingly complex advertising environment.
Key Highlights:
- WPP acquires InfoSum for $63 million to enhance its AI-powered marketing capabilities.
- InfoSum’s technology enables secure cross-cloud data collaboration without exposing sensitive information.
- The platform will be integrated into GroupM and WPP Open to drive AI-based solutions for clients.
- The acquisition addresses challenges posed by third-party cookie deprecation and privacy regulations.