WPP Media debuts wide-ranging reorganisation into client-centric mode

Shiny new WPP Media has revealed its new line-up as it benches the old GroupM which had individual agency bosses.

Without further ado it is:

Natalie Cummins, former CEO, EssenceMediacom UK – now WPP Media president, leading EssenceMediacom clients.

Jon Stevens, former UK chief growth officer, WPP Media – now WPP Media president, leading Wavemaker clients.

Jem Lloyd Williams, former CEO, Mindshare – now chief strategy officer, WPP Media and WPP Media president, leading Mindshare clients.

Victoria Appleby, former CEO, T&P – now WPP Media president, leading T&P across media and creative.

Kelly Parker, former CEO, Wavemaker – now chief media officer, WPP Media UK.

Nick Adams, former EVP, head of data strategy, WPP Media – now WPP Media UK president, Choreograph.

These stay as was:

Kate Rowlinson, UK CEO, WPP Media

Simon Willis, UK chief investment officer, WPP Media

Luke Bozeat, UK chief operating officer, WPP Media

Jacinta Brennan, UK chief people officer, WPP Media

Mike Nichols, UK chief finance officer, WPP Media

Rowlinson will be relieved to remain as CEO, quite what Victoria Appleby, who joined T&P from Channel 4 makes of her new moniker/responsibilities we know not. T&P used to be a creative agency. Can’t imagine her predecessor, the formidable Sarah Golding taking too kindly to becoming a WPP Media executive.

The aim, it seems, is to focus on client leads for big clients rather than competing agency bosses, which is fair enough to an extent. It’s the way the agency market is going. WPP knows only too well the power big clients wield, the game was up for departed CEO Mark Read when it lost Coca-Cola media in the US and Mars globally.

Here’s the rationale.

But one of the attractions of agency life for ambitious people has always been the opportunity to run your own thing. This has led to CEOs of tiny outfits springing up like mushrooms after the rain but, for network agencies anyway, being in charge of one or more big clients rather than an agency is likely to be a deterrent.

This, if it works, is likely to be a template for WPP Creative, if it happens. That should be fun.