• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, June 9, 2025

Given the importance AI will play in WPP's selection of a CEO to succeed soon-to-retire Mark Read, Mediapssst asked a few AIs -- ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Grok -- who they thought would be optimum candidates and while they didn't express unanimity, four internal execs each got three votes, including one who knows a lot about AI: WPP Media's Brian Lesser.

The other leading internal candidates according to the AIs include:

• WPP COO Andrew Scott

• VML CEO Jon Cook

• Wunderman Thompson CEO Mel Edwards

Ogilvy chief Devika Bulchandani ranks next with two AI votes, followed by two internal execs who garnered one vote each:

• The & Partnership CEO Johnny Hornby (Gemini)

• WPP CFO John Rogers (Grok)

There's even less unanimity for external candidates, which were more generalized descriptions -- like execs from "rival holding companies," "technology/consulting executives," "media/digital platform leaders," etc., but ChatGPT at least named names, including four who it said could "drive transformation amidst AI disruption, WPP might opt for industry outsiders with proven tech and restructuring experience:"

• David Kenny (ex-IBM)

• Tim Armstrong (former Oath CEO)

• Keith Weed (former Unilever CMO)

• Philip Jansen, current WPP chair and ex-BT CEO—though his board role may rule him out as CEO