WPP COO Andrew Scott steps down after 27 years with company

WPP announced that its chief operating officer, Andrew Scott, will retire and step down from the board at the end of 2025, after nearly three decades with the network.

Scott, who joined WPP in 1999 as director of corporate development, has been instrumental in shaping the company’s growth and transformation over the years. He will work closely with incoming CEO Cindy Rose during the transition period and continue as a senior advisor to support strategy execution and hand over responsibilities to other senior leaders.

Don't miss: Mastercard hands US$180m global media remit to WPP Media

During his tenure, Scott led WPP’s M&A activity, driving acquisitions that expanded the company’s reach in AI, data, and technology, including deals for Satalia and InfoSum. He also oversaw significant divestments, such as the sale of a 60% stake in Kantar to Bain Capital and the more recent sale of FGS Global to KKR.

Scott was appointed global COO in 2018, where he managed WPP’s country structure in key markets, and later joined the board in 2023. His successor has not been named yet.

Outgoing CEO Mark Read praised Scott’s impact on the business, saying, “Few people have done more than Andrew to shape WPP and drive its success over the last three decades. He has been a brilliant partner to me and the leadership team and has made a tremendous contribution as COO.”

Reflecting on his departure, Scott shared, “After 27 years at WPP, and at a time of transition for the business, it feels like the right moment to make this change. I’ve known Cindy for a long time and worked closely with her on the Board, and I’m excited for the future of WPP under her leadership.”

A month after the announcement of Read's departure from WPP in June, the agency revealed that Microsoft executive Cindy Rose will take over as global CEO of WPP on 1 September. A longtime board member at WPP, Rose steps into the role amid ongoing shifts in technology, AI and media investment.

She served as chief operating officer, global enterprise at Microsoft and has held a seat on the WPP board since 2019. She will work alongside Read during a transition period through to the end of the year and will be based between London and New York.

Meanwhile, Read's move comes after a series of restructuring taken place within WPP's subsidiary agencies. Most recently, WPP retired the GroupM name and launched WPP Media, a fully integrated, AI-powered media company designed for the next wave of marketing. The move is part of a broader effort to deliver more integrated, AI-enabled solutions to the world’s largest advertisers.

Accelerate your brand’s growth with AI-first strategies, emerging tech and data-driven experiences. Join 500+ marketing leaders at Digital Marketing Asia 2025 Singapore on 24–25 September to uncover transformative trends, real-world wins and powerful ideas for 2025 and beyond.

Related articles:
WPP CEO Mark Read to step down after 7 years
Can Cindy Rose transform WPP? Industry leaders weigh in
WPP Media overhauls structure with new APMEA model and senior leadership shake-up