• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, April 30, 2020

John O’Keeffe, WPP’s Chief Creative Officer for the last dozen years is stepping down.

Word of O’Keeffe’s exit came via a laudatory memo from company CEO Mark Read.

“I am writing with the news that, after 12 highly successful years with WPP, John O’Keeffe is stepping down as Chief Creative Officer,” Read stated.  “As you know, under our new strategy we’ve strengthened our agency brands and increased investment in their creative talent. As part of that, we’ve placed greater responsibility for creative standards with the agencies themselves, which is the reason that John will be leaving us. He does so with our very best wishes.”

Read noted that O’Keeffe joined the company in 2008 with a remit to achieve recognition for the holding company as an industry leader in creativity and effectiveness. “During his time with us he has helped WPP to win the Cannes Lions creative holding company of the year award no less than seven times, and the Effies on eight occasions.”

O’Keeffe is also credited with helping to drive initiatives such as WPP’s involvement in Common Ground, the cross-industry program to help deliver the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project.

O’Keeffe is the second senior level creative executive this week announcing plans to depart the holding company. Earlier Ogilvy CEO John Seifert said he was departing sometime next year.