WPP Media changes regional structure across Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa

WPP Media has adopted a new Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) regional model as it seeks to further streamline its media business, formerly known as GroupM, under global CEO Brian Lesser. 

The move, effective immediately, will see the business divided into six sub-regions:

• Australia and New Zealand led by Aimee Buchanan
• China led by Rupert McPetrie
• India and Sri Lanka led by Prasanth Kumar
• Middle East and North Africa (MENA) led by Amer El Hajj
• Northeast Asia (Japan, Korea, Hong Kong) led by Michael Beecroft
• SEAPAT (Southeast Asia, Pakistan, South Africa, Taiwan) led by Helen McRae, in addition to her LVMH leadership across APAC.

The restructuring will also see new senior APMEA leadership appointments as well. Josh Gallagher becomes chief strategy and growth officer for APMEA, with the mandate of leading planning, new business and cross-WPP integration projects. Sindhuja Rai, meanwhile, is promoted from her APAC client leadership to chief client officer for APMEA, helming a client solutions team based in Singapore. 

Within WPP Media's new Media Management and Delivery organisation, formed by the integration of Nexus and Investment, as reported by Campaign in early May, there are also new leadership changes. 
Anita Munro, currently executive director of Thailand, will head Media Management while Arshan Saha will lead Media Delivery while continuing to lead the Singapore and Malaysia markets. 

The new APMEA leadership structure for Choreograph, is still yet to come. 

These moves are part of WPP Media's streamlining of operations under its new brand, involving the cessation of its media agency brands operating as separate business units, in favour of a single P&L. Restructuring-related job cuts have already been reported as staffing levels are affected throughout the region.