• by Fern Siegel , Yesterday

WPP Brand & Design, led by Global CEO Jane Geraghty, has appointed two executives to new global roles.

The WPP Brand & Design collective brings together growing specialist capabilities across leading brands, including Landor, Design Bridge and Partners, amp, ManvsMachine, Coley Porter Bell, BDG, CBA Design, and DeepLocal.

The new structure is designed to improve client experience and speed of impact. The appointments are:

Emma Beckmann, formerly Global Chief Growth Officer at Landor, has been appointed Global Chief Growth Officer, WPP Brand & Design. Beckmann said the new template “allows us to move more fluidly across capabilities and markets – connecting the right thinking around the client’s problem, rather than asking clients to navigate our structure.”

Ann Higgins spent over two decades at Ogilvy, most recently leading its consulting business in EMEA.She joins as Global Chief Client Officer, WPP Brand & Design & Design Bridge and Partners.“In today's era of the algorithm, brands need to be optimized for machines, strategically positioned in fast-changing markets, and crafted for human connection to capture growth,” she said.

“Brand is moving back to the center of business strategy and branding is a top priority for major clients,” added Geraghty. “Our evolved WPP Brand & Design structure strikes a critical balance: the integration of common data, technology and consulting to intelligently scale the business of branding, enabling us to predict financial outcomes of brand decisions. At the same time, championing specialist design craft, delivering bespoke solutions that deeply connect with human emotion.”

Both London-based hires report to Geraghty.

(Photo: Jane Geraghty, Emma Beckmann, Ann Higgins)