WPP Media overhauls structure with new APMEA model and senior leadership shake-up

WPP Media has restructured its organisation, unveiling a new Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) regional model aimed at streamlining operations, leveraging synergies and driving growth across key markets.

The move, effective immediately, sees the business divided into six sub-regions: Australia and New Zealand led by Aimee Buchanan, China led by Rupert McPetrie, India and Sri Lanka under Prasanth Kumar and MENA led by Amer El Hajj.

In addition, Northeast Asia (Japan, Korea, Hong Kong) will be helmed by Michael Beecroft and SEAPAT (Southeast Asia, Pakistan, South Africa, Taiwan) will be led by Helen McRae.

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McRae (pictured) takes on the newly created role of CEO, SEAPAT, in addition to her leadership on LVMH across APAC. WPP Media said McRae’s track record in agency leadership and operations would be key in accelerating growth across this cluster.

The restructure also brings fresh senior appointments. Sindhuja Rai steps up as chief client officer, APMEA, charged with elevating client service, overseeing global and regional accounts, and leading a client solutions team based in Singapore.

Josh Gallagher becomes chief strategy and growth officer, APMEA, tasked with shaping the go-to-market proposition, leading strategic planning, new business efforts and cross-WPP integration projects.

In media operations, WPP Media has folded Nexus and Investment into a new Media Management and Delivery (MMD) organisation.

Anita Munro, executive director of Thailand, will lead Media Management, focusing on client solutions, while Arshan Saha will head Media Delivery, alongside his existing responsibilities for Singapore and Malaysia. Both will report to the APMEA CEO and the global MMD structure.

Amer El Hajj and Claudelle Naidoo officially join the regional leadership team as MENA and South Africa leads respectively.

The company said the APMEA Choreograph leadership structure is still being finalised in collaboration with global teams, with updates to follow.

WPP Media has been experiencing a series of leadership and structural shifts in recent months. Most recently, Longtime CEO Mark Read announced that he will be stepping down from the role.

The agency also retired the GroupM name and launched WPP Media, a fully integrated, AI-powered media company. WPP also folded creative agency Grey under Ogilvy, moving it out of the AKQA group’s reporting line.

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