“WPP announces CFO transition” the press release says and while it seems to be a smooth transition from John Rogers to Joanne Wilson, who’s joining from Britvic, it’s still a surprise.
Rogers (above), a former CFO of Sainsbury’s, was seen by some as a CEO in waiting at WPP whenever Mark Read decided to step down. Now Rogers will leave after WPP’s report and accounts are published next year. WPP says Rogers will pursue “broader executive companies outside the company,” presumably as a CEO.
Rogers says: “It has been a privilege to work alongside Mark, the Board and the executive team to deliver our transformation plan and growth strategy, and I am very proud of what we have achieved together over the last three years.
“With WPP well positioned for ongoing success, and as the company enters the next phase of its transformation, I feel now is the right time to move on to new challenges and to begin a smooth transition to a new CFO. I look forward to working with Joanne on the handover next year.”
Wilson began her career at KPMG and is a former CFO of dunnhmby, now part of Tesco and the foundation of its Clubcard. She says: “I am delighted to be joining Mark (Read) and the team as they continue on their journey to make WPP the most creative company globally. It’s a fantastic opportunity and I look forward to working with the wider WPP team to continue to successfully execute the growth strategy and deliver the company’s transformation programme.”
