Meet the CEOs: WPP Media Philippines' Crisela Magpayo-Cervantes

Crisela Magpayo-Cervantes (pictured), CEO of WPP Media Philippines, has spent more than two decades proving that advertising is not simply about selling ideas, but about shaping behaviours, inspiring desire, and driving measurable impact. Her career has spanned both agency and client-side roles, giving her a rare dual perspective on what brands truly need and how agencies must evolve to deliver it.

She describes herself as someone once "converted" by advertising, and that sense of conviction continues to fuel her work. Whether it's learning resilience from tough bosses and tougher clients, or drawing strength from formidable women leaders who proved that kindness can be just as powerful as authority, she has built a leadership style defined by clarity, empathy, and purpose.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What was your first job?

My first job was as an account executive at Ogilvy & Mather Advertising in Manila. I distinctly remember a recruitment ad in our university: 'Looking for people who don't believe in advertising.' It instantly intrigued me.

My application, titled 'Converts make the best evangelists,' explained that if they could convert me, I'd be their best advocate. Twenty-five years later, I'm still here, still striving to convert others to change behaviour, create desire, and drive action. It seems I was indeed converted.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What was your first role in advertising?

I joined as a 'suit,' working on Tang, an iconic local powdered juice brand. Three months in, I wanted to quit. I had a tough boss and an even tougher client, and the account was in crisis. Our team was lean, so I reported directly to a group account director who set incredibly high standards. As an achiever, I felt I wasn't measuring up. But I gave myself until the end of the year to figure it out, and I'm glad I stayed.

I learned the fundamentals of brand communications, but more importantly, invaluable life skills: patience, managing expectations and stakeholders, and becoming a trusted advisor. In fact, that client later hired me for a significant career move to the client side 20 years later. This experience underscores the enduring value of strong client relationships and the trust built through dedicated service. Who would have thought that the same tough client I had who eventually leaned on me as her account director would offer me an opportunity to lead her marketing team.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What was your first impression of advertising?

I loved the culture of ideas and the shared passion for the craft. There was never a dull moment. We faced hundreds of briefs, never enough time and there were people from all walks of life, yet everyone was dedicated to getting the best idea sold and executed.

People were interesting and interested. There was a certain cool factor to being in advertising.

While our clients slaved over their sales targets on their Excel sheets, we brought some excitement into their lives in that one hour meeting.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Who was the mentor who influenced you the most, and how?

I'm incredibly grateful to have been surrounded by such formidable women leaders. They demonstrated that a woman's 'softness' and charm could be far more effective in influencing and motivating people than simply being tough. While they weren't 'nurturing' in a traditional sense, their actions consistently showed they cared for our futures. Their presence in a room conveyed unwavering support.

I remember thinking, as an account director, that if I ever became a 'big boss,' like them I would lead not through fear, but through a shared purpose and a belief in caring for both people and the work. Strength, I learned, can emanate from the gentlest actions and kindness. So much of what we do as leaders is grounded on fostering an environment where diverse strengths are recognised and leveraged.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What’s the harshest criticism you’ve received, and how did you cope with it?

It wasn't so much a criticism as a statement that prompted significant introspection. After moving from advertising to media, my CEO back then once told me: 'You can be successful but not excellent.' This was a profound reminder that merely hitting KPIs and achieving external markers of success isn't enough. True excellence demands a continuous dedication to setting high standards for your work and for others.

It's about cultivating an internal mindset and motivation that are as crucial, if not more so, than outward success. This distinction, I believe, is often overlooked.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Describe your own management style now as a leader

As a leader, I hold a very clear vision of what I aim to achieve, and I believe in building that vision collaboratively with my team. Ironically, this collaborative building doesn't solely mean driving consensus. A core responsibility of leadership is to disrupt current thinking - that's the only way to truly co-create a forward-looking vision.

However, strategy on paper is only part of the equation. Where many teams falter is in linking strategy to execution. You have to put in the right processes and promote the right actions and values so people are accountable to plans. It's not enough to communicate and ensure people know our progress against our goals. You can't "KPI your way to greatness". It starts with building the right culture and that is what people experience day in and day out.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What’s one thing you wished employees understood about being a leader?

Employees need to understand that leadership decisions are rarely black and white, nor are they made solely from a leader's personal perspective. As a leader, you must weigh numerous variables, and even then, you can't be 100% certain of the outcome, nor will every stakeholder be entirely satisfied. To paraphrase Steve Jobs, "You can't connect the dots looking forward", but as leaders you will try to make those connections and many times that won't be obvious in the short-term to many. But leaders will take that risk to hopefully pay off in the long-term.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What do you do during your free time?

Weekends are primarily dedicated to family. We love breakfast and coffee so we enjoy exploring new brunch or coffee spots on Sundays. I keep a very active Pinterest pins and Instagram saved posts of places to go visit. Occasionally, for longer holidays, I find as much joy in crafting the itinerary as I do in the actual trip. Discovering unique experiences tailored to my travel companions and creating new memories bring me immense satisfaction.  

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Where do you find your inspiration?

I'm deeply fascinated by people who are passionate about what they do, whether it's a scientific new discovery or a board game. I love hearing how their passion allows them to see the world through a different lens. Having that sense of wonder is what keeps me inspired. When I worked in telco, I learned how important listening to consumers was. We spent a lot of time reviewing feedback and also understanding their behaviour and this is what can spark inspiration to innovate.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: If not in advertising, where would you be?

I would likely be a writer, a journalist, or a museum curator. Essentially, I would still be very much in the business of communicating ideas and being around thinkers, creators, and movers and shakers. I love looking for patterns in behaviour and culture. In my younger days, I contributed to an online trend-spotting community that would spot local manifestation of global trends.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What advice do you have for someone looking to start a career in the industry?

Advertising is an excellent starting point for any career. You'll immediately learn how to sell, build relationships, and advocate for your ideas - all crucial skills transferable to any profession.

I find the younger generation wants to get promoted quickly. I tell them: to truly succeed, don't obsess about simply climbing the ladder. Instead, view your career as a playground. Seek opportunities to expose yourself to new categories, emerging technologies, and different roles within the agency. This approach allows you to build both functional expertise and broad generalist experience.

My most pivotal career moments happened when my manager initiated new roles for me. For example, day one back from my maternity leave, I was tasked to help execute a regional event. It would have been easier to say no and just go back to the office where it would be less hectic. After all, I was still nursing my four-month-old baby. But I used that opportunity to build more connections. One year later, I was no longer part of the organising committee but was one of the key speakers thanks to work that started in one of my conversations with the previous year's conference attendee. You have to put yourself in those uncomfortable situations to grow. The promotion/recognition will follow.

Progress isn't always a promotion. One of the reasons I stayed so long in advertising is the opportunity for continuous learning and development.

Ultimately, our industry is always evolving so the conversations you have with partners and clients also change. These are all learning experiences that help us stay ahead in our career but also enrich us personally.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What issue would you like to see the industry change in 2025?

We absolutely need to move beyond simply measuring clicks or operational metrics. Ultimately, our industry must become far more adept at linking campaigns and actions directly to tangible business outcomes. We should stop introducing new, fragmented metrics.

Moving to the client side made me realise how agencies can complicate things for CMOs. There is so much internal complexity CMOs face in today's organisation. Agencies should try to help simplify and that starts with articulating impact to business.

How do we achieve this? Firstly, as more media becomes 'shoppable,' the connection between demand creation and sales becomes shorter and more seamless. Secondly, artificial intelligence (AI) offers an unprecedented ability to connect disparate data sources seamlessly. With AI, we can uncover meaningful patterns across audiences without relying solely on identity matching technologies. Finally, and critically, we need to drive much better collaboration across marketing, IT, sales, and customer experience teams. As an agency, we need to work with a wider set of stakeholders. Only then can we truly harness the benefits of a data-driven, AI-powered marketing future.

This is also one of the reasons why I went back to the agency world after a few years on the client side of marketing. I saw how WPP has started shaping the new agency model especially with it's integration of data and technology into the media practice. This paves the way for an incredible opportunity to deliver the impact that I was looking for when I was a client. We're building that now and it's incredibly exciting.

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