WPP Media expands consulting ambitions across ANZ

WPP Media is expanding its marketing and technology consulting practice across Australia and New Zealand as the agency group looks to take a bigger role in how clients structure, operate and grow their marketing businesses.

The expansion will be led by former Accenture Song executive Aishwarya Rao, who joins as managing partner, consulting, reporting to Tom Braybrook.

The broader offering spans marketing, data, technology and artificial intelligence, with a focus on helping clients rethink how their marketing operations are structured and how technology can support business growth.

The move positions WPP Media to pursue work beyond traditional media planning and buying, as marketing leaders grapple with increasingly complex technology stacks, fragmented customer data and the practical application of AI across their organisations.

It also brings additional consulting experience into the group at a time when the boundaries between media agencies, marketing technology providers and management consultancies are becoming less distinct.

Rao's appointment gives WPP Media a senior leader to oversee the expanded practice across both markets.

The development adds another dimension to WPP Media's offering in Australia and New Zealand, extending its remit from media investment and activation into the operational and technological decisions shaping how clients deliver marketing.