In a significant leadership transition, advertising giant WPP has announced that its long-serving Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Scott, will retire from his role and step down from the Board at the end of 2025. However, in a move designed to ensure continuity and a smooth leadership handover, Scott will transition into a new role as a Senior Advisor to incoming CEO Cindy Rose.
The announcement marks the culmination of a distinguished 27-year career at WPP for Scott, who joined the company in 1999. Over his tenure, he has been instrumental in shaping the company’s portfolio and strategic direction. Scott’s key contributions include leading the company’s mergers and acquisitions (M&A) strategy, which has been critical in building WPP’s capabilities in high-growth areas like data and artificial intelligence through acquisitions such as Satalia and InfoSum. He also played a pivotal role in major strategic disposals, including the sale of a 60% stake in research firm Kantar and the divestiture of FGS Global.
In a statement, outgoing WPP CEO Mark Read praised Scott’s impact, saying, “Few people have done more than Andrew to shape WPP and to drive its success over the last three decades.” Scott himself commented on his decision, stating that “at a time of transition for the business, it feels like the right moment to make this change.” He will now work closely with Cindy Rose to ensure a seamless handover of his responsibilities to other senior executives and provide support for strategy execution.
Scott’s retirement and advisory role signal a planned and orderly transition as WPP prepares for its next chapter under new leadership. The move underscores the company’s commitment to leveraging deep institutional knowledge to navigate a dynamic market while embracing new leadership.
Key Highlights:
- Andrew Scott, WPP’s Chief Operating Officer, will retire from his role and the Board at the end of 2025.
- He will not leave the company entirely, but will serve as a Senior Advisor to incoming CEO Cindy Rose to ensure a smooth leadership transition.
- Scott, who has been with WPP for 27 years, played a crucial role in the company’s M&A and strategic disposals, including the sale of a stake in Kantar.
- The transition highlights WPP’s focus on continuity and leveraging experienced leadership to guide the company through a period of change.