WPP and Ukraine unite for global campaign showing country open for business

WPP has partnered the Ukrainian government to attract investment to the country in a bid to rebuild its economy after the upheaval and damage of the Russian invasion.

The holding company's agencies in Ukraine, Poland and the Czech Republic will work with Oleksandr Tkachenko, minister of culture and information policy of Ukraine, to show that the country is open for business as part of the government's "Advantage Ukraine" mission.

Tkachenko joined WPP chief executive Mark Read on stage at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity to explain that they will target business leaders within the region and across the world to encourage inward investment to support Ukraine's economic recovery.

The initiative will aim to show the variety of talent in the country across sectors such as agriculture, technology, education and the creative industries as well as its "huge potential for commercial investment", WPP said in a statement.

Tkachenko said that the government wants the world to know "that Ukraine is still open for business and has the potential to be a key cultural and digital technology European hub."

Read added: "Creativity has the power not only to solve commercial problems but to address some of the biggest issues we face.

"WPP's partnership with the Ukrainian government will aim to do both – underlining the enormous commercial potential of the country while supporting the economic recovery essential to rebuilding Ukrainian social and cultural life and ensuring a positive future for its citizens."

On Monday, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky addressed delegates at the festival via video link and called on adland to use the power of creativity to help the country win the war against Russia.