• by Joe Mandese , December 9, 2021

WPP's GroupM unit has named Marie-Claire Barker Global Chief People Officer, effective January 2022. She succeeds Jennifer Remling, who was appointed parent WPP’s Chief People Officer in October. 

Barker, who joins from Global Chief Talent Officer at family-owned marketing communications firm Edelman, previously held similar roles at GroupM's Wavemaker and WPP's Ogilvy units.

She will be a member of GroupM's global leadership team, overseeing the talent management of its 36,000-person organization.

“In the last two years, we’ve seen a fundamental shift in the employment market, which brings exciting opportunities and challenges for people and companies alike,” GroupM Global CEO Christian Juhl said in a statement announcing Barker's appointment. 

Barker will be based in GroupM’s 3 World Trade Center office in New York.