WPP has unveiled “Elevate28,” a multi-year strategy designed to simplify its structure, restore growth, and position itself as what Chief Executive Officer Cindy Rose calls “the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands in the era of AI.”
In a statement, Rose framed Elevate28 as both a structural reset and a forward-looking growth blueprint.
“My first six months as CEO have only reinforced my conviction that WPP is an extraordinary company. As our clients navigate uncertainty, AI disruption and macro-volatility, we’re looking ahead with a clear and focused mission: to be the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands in the era of AI.
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Today we are unveiling a bold plan for a simpler, more integrated WPP. Our intention is to stabilize the business, return to organic growth, create capacity to invest in the future, and deliver attractive returns for our shareholders. WPP will become a single company, streamlined into four operating units across four regions, all unified by our pioneering agentic marketing platform, WPP Open.
Our recent underperformance has been driven by excessive organizational complexity, a lack of an integrated operating model, and inconsistent strategic execution. While disappointing, I see huge potential as these issues are all within our power to fix and we’re already making great progress.
We have everything we need to succeed: exceptional talent, world-class capabilities, trusted data and technology solutions, and groundbreaking partnerships, as well as the scale and reach to service the most complex multi-national, multi-brand clients in the world. The momentum we are seeing from the decisive action we’ve already taken gives me the confidence that we’re on the right path to creating a WPP that is fit for the future and built to win.”
At the heart of the overhaul is a major structural shift: WPP will transition from a traditional holding company into a single, integrated organization built around four core divisions — WPP Media, WPP Creative, WPP Production, and WPP Enterprise Solutions — operating across North America, Latin America, EMEA, and APAC.
One creative engine
In one of its most significant changes in years, WPP has unified Ogilvy, VML, and AKQA under a single operating model called WPP Creative.
The move brings together the group’s creative, PR, and design agencies onto a shared system — making it easier to collaborate, share resources, and tap into WPP’s global creative talent pool. While operations will be streamlined behind the scenes, each agency will retain its brand identity and culture.
WPP Creative becomes one of the four central pillars of the new structure and supports the company’s target of £500 million (approximately $677 million) in annual cost savings by removing duplicated roles and simplifying operations.
Simpler, faster, AI-enabled
WPP says past underperformance stemmed from organizational complexity and inconsistent execution — issues it believes are fixable.
Central to the reset is WPP Open, the company’s AI-powered marketing platform, which will connect capabilities across media, creative, production, and enterprise services. The aim: deliver faster, more integrated, AI-enabled solutions for clients navigating market volatility and digital disruption.
Elevate28 will roll out in phases:
2026: Stabilize
Improve new business performance, cut costs, and rationalize the portfolio.
2027: Build
Embed a unified operating model and target a return to organic growth.
2028 and beyond: Accelerate
Deliver faster growth, improved margins, and stronger cash returns as a leaner, AI-driven company.
To achieve £500 million in gross annual savings by 2028, WPP expects around £400 million in cash transformation costs over two years, with part of the savings reinvested into high-growth areas.
In short, WPP is betting that fewer silos, tighter integration, and a unified AI backbone will help it compete more effectively in an industry being reshaped by technology and regain its growth momentum in the process.
