Observed Signal · Feb 26, 2026 · Restructuring · Source: AdExchanger · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
WPP's New CEO Unveils Major Overhaul Amid Disappointing Earnings
WPP CEO Cindy Rose called recent earnings “disappointing” as she unveiled a multi-year restructuring called Elevate28 that will reframe WPP as a single company organized into four operating units (WPP Media, WPP Creative, WPP Production and WPP Enterprise Solutions) across four regions. The plan will unify the company under an agentic marketing platform called WPP Open, prioritize cost savings and AI enablement, and is phased in stages: stabilisation and cost cuts in 2026, with a new go-to-market approach and expected organic growth beginning in 2027. WPP reported 2025 revenue down 8.1% year-over-year to £13,550 million. Management expects the program to cost £400 million (phased over two years) and forecasts £500 in gross savings (article text), with savings redeployed toward growth areas. The company is also facing client churn (top-25 client spend declined) and a whistleblower lawsuit by a former employee.
WPP is a major global agency holdco; an earnings shortfall plus a strategic, AI-led reorganization and multi-hundred-million-pound cost program will affect media buying, agency services, client relationships and competitive dynamics across the advertising industry.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- WPP reported 2025 revenue of £13,550 million, an 8.1% decline from 2024.
- Cindy Rose, former Microsoft executive, became WPP CEO in September and called the quarter’s earnings 'disappointing.'
- WPP announced the Elevate28 restructuring to reorganize into four operating units and unify operations under 'WPP Open.'
- WPP estimates Elevate28 will cost £400 million (phased over two years) and says it should result in '£500 in gross savings (about $676 million)' per the article.
- Spend from WPP’s top 25 clients declined 4.1%; Mars moved its business to Publicis; WPP faces a whistleblower lawsuit from former employee Richard Foster.
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WPP Shifts to AI-Centric Model, Ditches HoldCo Structure
WPP today announced a three-year strategic plan called 'Elevate28' to simplify its structure from a holding company into a single business built around four operating units (WPP Media, WPP Creative, WPP Production and WPP Enterprise Solutions). The group places AI at the core of the strategy, centring on its WPP Open platform and a newly launched Agent Hub of curated “Super Agents.” The phased plan (Stabilise 2026, Build 2027, Accelerate 2028+) targets £500 million of gross annual cost savings by 2028 at an implementation cost of £400 million over two years and signals further portfolio rationalisation and potential job reductions. WPP cited weaker 2025 financials, material client losses and a significant share-price decline as drivers for the reset.
WPP Faces Revenue Drop, Unveils Bold Turnaround Strategy
WPP reported an 8.1% decline in 2025 revenue to $18.3 billion (£13.6 billion), a like-for-like decrease of 3.6%, and disclosed a sweeping two-year turnaround strategy called Elevate28. Revenue less pass-through costs fell 10.4% to $13.6 billion (£10.1 billion). Q4 revenue dropped 8.3% to $4.8 billion (like-for-like -5.5%) and Q4 revenue less pass-through costs fell 10.1% to $3.6 billion. WPP said it aims to generate $676 million (£500 million) in annual cost savings by 2028. Under CEO Cindy Rose, the company will restructure into four divisions — WPP Media, WPP Production, WPP Enterprise Solutions and a new WPP Creative — the latter combining agencies VML, Ogilvy and AKQA and to be led by VML CEO Jon Cook. WPP said organizational complexity and inconsistent execution drove recent underperformance.
WPP Unveils 'Elevate28' for $676M Cost Savings
WPP CEO Cindy Rose unveiled a three-year strategic reboot called "Elevate28," targeting $676 million (about £500 million) in annual cost savings and reorganizing the company into four AI-backed divisions: WPP Media, WPP Creative, WPP Production and WPP Enterprise Solutions. The plan centers on WPP Open, the network’s AI platform, and aims to simplify operations, remove duplicate roles and reinvest savings into high-growth areas and talent. WPP reported 2025 revenue (less pass-through costs) down 5.4% year-on-year to $13.6 billion and said headcount fell 8.7% in the prior 12 months to 98,655 employees. WPP Creative, led by VML CEO Jon Cook, will group creative, PR and design agency brands under a single operating model while keeping brand names separate. Rose said WPP is “no longer a holding company” and framed the move as becoming a single operating company focused on clients in the era of AI.
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