WPP announced today that Microsoft veteran Cindy Rose has been appointed as its new CEO, effective September 1, succeeding Mark Read who announced last month he was stepping down. Read will stay on through a transition period ending on Dec. 31.   

Rose has spent the last nine years in senior leadership positions at Microsoft where she is currently chief operating officer-global enterprise, a role in which she advises clients on business transformation issues.   

Previously she was president of Microsoft Western Europe and CEO of Microsoft UK. Other previous roles include managing director of the UK consumer business at Vodafone and executive director of digital entertainment and media sales at Virgin Media. She also spent 15 years at The Walt Disney Company, ultimately as senior vice president and managing director of Disney Interactive Media Group, EMEA.    

Rose has also been a non-executive director on the WPP Board since 2019. Rose has dual US-UK citizenship and will be based in both London and New York. 

Read stated: “Having worked closely with Cindy for the last six years, I am delighted to see her appointed as CEO of WPP. From her time on the Board, she has real insight into our business and knows many of our clients, people and partners around the world."  

“She brings deep experience of technology and AI and its transformational impact on business, and has successfully run large global organisations with talent at their core. After seven years as CEO, I know that I am leaving WPP in excellent hands.” 

The appointment follows a day after WPP downgraded its expected performance for 2025.