Atifa Silk Rick Boost
Apr 16, 2018

What Sorrell wanted for WPP

Just weeks before resigning as WPP chief, Martin Sorrell talked with Campaign Asia-Pacific about his vision for the holding company he built.

"I don't know if we're at a tipping point or not, but we're at a point where the need for speedy adjustment and change is really important."

Just weeks before his hasty departure WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell told Campaign Asia-Pacific brand director Atifa Silk where he wanted his holding company to go in the next two years.  His answer, which included a further simplification of the verticals and more 'horizontality', indicate Sorrell was far from done with consolidating the firm. 

The man who built a multi-billion dollar marketing communications giant will now pass that job to a successor, one that will be made all the more difficult by rising shareholder pressures.  

While we continue to watch how these latest developments unfold, here is part two of our in-depth chat with Sorrell in the days immediately before he become the target of an in-house investigation for an undisclosed allegation of personal misconduct. 

In this video, Sorrell explains his vision for restructuring the company in a way that "breaks as few eggs as possible" in the process, while comparing WPP with recent changes at Publicis.

"I would like to see it fully integrated," Sorrell elaborated of his short-term vision for WPP.  "Clients aren't interested in the brands."

Source:
Campaign Asia

Related Articles

Just Published

11 hours ago

Cannes Lions 2025: APAC winners

Asia-Pacific wins its first 16 Lions in Pharma, Health & Wellness, Audio & Radio and Outdoor ahead of the full winner list.

14 hours ago

Omnicom Group plans full buyout of Clemenger Group

Omnicom is set to fully acquire Clemenger Group and launch a new Oceania management structure, with ex-executive Nick Garrett tipped to lead.

15 hours ago

Advertisers of the month in Australia: Budget ...

These brands saw jumps in advertising awareness in Australia in May onYouGov's BrandIndex, led by Budget Direct and its 'Balloons' campaign.

15 hours ago

Agency Report Card 2024: OMD

OMD APAC kept competitors on their toes with major account wins, standout campaigns, and a clean sweep of top industry awards. But with the incoming complexities of the Omnicom-IPG merger, questions remain about its next phase of growth—and how integration could reshape its market edge.