WPP embarks on a comprehensive overhaul under CEO Cindy Rose to address decline, leverage AI, and expand market share amid tough industry conditions and plummeting market capitalisation.
WPP, the British advertising giant, is poised for a deep and bold restructuring under the leadership of its new CEO, Cindy Rose. The company announced a strategic review coinciding with its weak third-quarter results, characterised by a 5.9% year-on-year decline in net revenue. This marks a significant downturn for WPP, which recently lost its position as the world’s largest advertising group to Publicis Groupe amid steep market challenges. According to Bank of America, Rose’s review signals transformative changes designed to simplify operations, leverage AI and data technologies, and improve financial performance through operational efficiency and disciplined capital allocation.
The review, due to be detailed early next year, aims to simplify WPP’s client offerings, heighten operational execution, and build a high-performance culture. The company also plans to expand its addressable market by enhancing enterprise and technology solutions. Speaking during the Q3 briefing, Rose emphasised a sense of urgency and impatience to correct the company’s underperformance, stating her immediate focus is on driving improvement while preparing a comprehensive plan for future growth.
WPP has had to downgrade its full-year revenue forecast twice in 2025. Originally expecting a marginal revenue decline, the forecast was first revised to a 3–5% fall in July and now stands at a 5.5–6% decline as of October. This contrasts sharply with competitors: Publicis Groupe reported 5.7% growth and Havas 3.8% in the same quarter, while Omnicom Group also saw growth of 2.6%. The challenges at WPP are compounded by client budget cuts and a shift in media spending directly to media owners, bypassing traditional agency billings, according to Madison & Wall analysts.
WPP’s media network, WPP Media, has been particularly affected, with significant client losses and ongoing structural changes, including internal leadership realignments that have removed profit and loss responsibilities from individual agency heads. Market insiders, including Barclays, suggest that part of the strategic review could involve asset disposals, with a sharper focus on high-value business segments.
The company’s PR division, which includes operations such as Burson and Ogilvy PR, also faced difficulties, posting revenue declines of 5.9% in the third quarter. WPP’s decision to sell a majority stake in FGS Global last year to private equity firm KKR is indicative of a broader portfolio reshaping strategy.
Looking ahead, JPMorgan analysts expect the current weaker revenue trend to extend into 2026, driven by declines in media growth, ongoing weakness in consumer packaged goods (CPG), reduced spending in technology and automotive sectors, and slowing growth in key markets including the UK, US, and Germany. Losses of major media clients such as Mars and Paramount are forecasted to further weigh on WPP’s growth early next year.
Despite these setbacks, there are bright spots. WPP’s Indian market buoyed the company with 6.7% revenue growth in the third quarter—the only among its top five markets to record positive figures—driven by strong new business momentum and growth in production services such as Hogarth. Leadership changes, including the appointment of Devika Bulchandani as Chief Operating Officer, underscore WPP’s commitment to improving execution and operational focus.
WPP has also maintained strategic investments in technology and innovation. The company announced a five-year extension of its partnership with Google to advance cloud and AI capabilities, aiming to integrate these technologies more deeply into client offerings through platforms like WPP Open and Open Intelligence. These efforts have already helped secure major client wins, exemplified by the acquisition of Mastercard’s $180 million media account.
Financially, WPP has been under pressure for several years. Its market capitalisation has plummeted from £24 billion in 2017 to under £4 billion by mid-2025, reflecting investor concerns. However, research shows a notable uptick in hedge fund interest last year, suggesting investor optimism around the potential upside of Rose’s restructuring plans.
Overall, Cindy Rose’s initial months at WPP have been challenging but marked by decisive action. The forthcoming strategic review will reveal the full extent of the company’s planned transformation as it seeks to regain momentum in a rapidly evolving advertising landscape increasingly dominated by AI, digital innovation, and shifting client dynamics.
📌 Reference Map:
- Paragraph 1 – [1] PrWeek, [2] Reuters
- Paragraph 2 – [1] PrWeek
- Paragraph 3 – [1] PrWeek, [2] Reuters
- Paragraph 4 – [1] PrWeek
- Paragraph 5 – [1] PrWeek
- Paragraph 6 – [1] PrWeek, [7] Economic Times
- Paragraph 7 – [1] PrWeek, [6] Reuters
- Paragraph 8 – [4] WPP, [6] Reuters
- Paragraph 9 – [1] PrWeek, [7] Economic Times
- Paragraph 10 – [6] Reuters
- Paragraph 11 – [1] PrWeek, [2] Reuters
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative presents recent developments regarding WPP’s strategic review under CEO Cindy Rose, with the earliest known publication date being October 30, 2025. The report includes updated data on WPP’s third-quarter results and strategic plans, indicating a high freshness score. However, the narrative references multiple sources, including PrWeek and Reuters, suggesting potential recycling of content. Additionally, the report includes a reference map with links to various sources, which may indicate a reliance on existing content. The presence of a press release from WPP announcing the strategic review further suggests that the narrative is based on official communications, which typically warrants a high freshness score. Nonetheless, the inclusion of multiple sources and the reference map may indicate a lack of originality. The report also mentions that WPP has been under pressure for several years, with its market capitalisation dropping from £24 billion in 2017 to under £4 billion by mid-2025, reflecting investor concerns. This information aligns with previous reports, indicating that some content may be recycled. Overall, while the narrative includes updated data, the reliance on multiple sources and the reference map suggests potential recycling of content.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative includes direct quotes from WPP CEO Cindy Rose, such as her statement on the company’s underperformance and her focus on driving improvement. These quotes are consistent with previous reports, indicating that they may have been reused. The wording of the quotes appears identical to earlier material, suggesting potential recycling of content. However, no online matches were found for some of the quotes, raising the possibility of original or exclusive content. Overall, the presence of identical quotes in earlier material suggests potential reuse, but the lack of online matches for some quotes indicates potential originality.
Source reliability
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative originates from reputable organisations, including PrWeek and Reuters, which are known for their journalistic standards. The inclusion of a press release from WPP further supports the reliability of the information. However, the presence of a reference map with links to various sources may indicate a reliance on existing content, which could affect the originality of the narrative. Overall, the sources are reliable, but the reliance on multiple sources and the reference map may affect the originality of the content.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative presents plausible claims regarding WPP’s strategic review under CEO Cindy Rose, including the company’s underperformance and plans for restructuring. The information aligns with previous reports, indicating consistency and plausibility. However, the reliance on multiple sources and the reference map may indicate a lack of originality, which could affect the overall credibility of the narrative. Additionally, the presence of a press release from WPP announcing the strategic review suggests that the narrative is based on official communications, which typically warrants a high plausibility score. Overall, the claims are plausible, but the reliance on multiple sources and the reference map may affect the originality and credibility of the content.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative presents recent developments regarding WPP’s strategic review under CEO Cindy Rose, with updated data on the company’s third-quarter results and strategic plans. However, the reliance on multiple sources, the inclusion of a reference map with links to various sources, and the presence of identical quotes in earlier material suggest potential recycling of content. While the sources are reputable, the lack of originality and potential reuse of content raise concerns about the freshness and originality of the narrative. Therefore, the overall assessment is ‘OPEN’ with a medium confidence level.
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