Ever since WPP CEO Mark Read announced his decision to step down last month, there has been speculation about who will replace him.  

Brian Lesser’s name comes up a lot. In fact he’s mentioned the most in media reports as the top candidate likely to get the job, according to searches I ran with both Google Gemini and ChatGPT.  

Lesser rejoined WPP last year as Global CEO of GroupM, since rebranded WPP Media. He was North American CEO of GroupM from 2015 to 2017. He first joined the company in 2007 with WPP’s acquisition of 24/7 Real Media. Before rejoining the company he was  CEO at data clean room InfoSum and Xandr.  

Other frequently mentioned shortlisters—at least in terms of media speculation—are Jon Cook, CEO of WPP’s VML and Ogilvy CEO Devika Bulchandani. WPP Technology chief Stephen Pretorius is also mentioned as a potential candidate. 

ChatGPT also mentions a “compelling though more recent contender”--Emily Del Greco, who joined WPP Media in 2025 as Chief Operating Officer. She’s admired for her blend of “strategy and execution” and her McKinsey background, where she spent five years before joining WPP. Earlier she was President-Americas for MightyHive and also spent eight years at Google, lastly as Global Head of Audience Data Commercialization. 

Among the external candidates speculated about, the most prominent name is David Droga, who recently announced he was stepping down from his role as CEO of Accenture Song to “spend more time suffixing: Thinking, daydreaming, advising, investing, giving, mentoring, exploring, learning, playing, appreciating, family-ing, sleeping-in-ing."  Hmmm, I don’t think he’d have much time for that kind of suffixing if he got the WPP job. Profiting, revenue generating and pitching and winning business and focusing on the company’s future would take up most of his waking hours.  

Former Google EMEA CEO Matt Brittin has also been mentioned as a possible candidate, although recent reports say he's not in the running. 

If you’re a betting person, you’d be wise to put your money on Lesser. He’s the clear favorite according to sports books Paddy Power and 1X Bet who had him a 3.25 to 1 winner.  

It's not precisely clear when WPP will make a decision, but its expected to be soon, according to reports.