WPP Brings in McKinsey to Steer Strategy Overhaul Under CEO Cindy Rose

WPP is pressing reset on its growth strategy. After two profit warnings in just three months, the advertising giant has enlisted McKinsey & Company to co-pilot a full-scale strategy review under new CEO Cindy Rose. The goal is clear — rebuild confidence, simplify operations, and position WPP as a smarter, faster, AI-ready marketing powerhouse.

Announced a month before Rose officially assumed office, the review will define how the company integrates its vast portfolio of agencies and how AI will accelerate value creation. According to PRWeek, McKinsey’s consultants are “facilitating and stress-testing” the leadership team’s strategic blueprint, with early outcomes expected in early 2026.

The four pillars of the review are tightly defined. Simplify and integrate WPP’s client offering; strengthen execution through AI and data; expand addressable markets via enterprise and technology solutions; and reinforce financial discipline across all markets. These themes reflect Rose’s intent to align WPP’s creativity with measurable business outcomes.

The McKinsey collaboration signals a deeper shift in agency thinking. Historically, holding companies have guarded creative autonomy. But with clients increasingly demanding ROI, data precision, and operational efficiency, strategy consultancies are becoming key partners. WPP last worked with McKinsey in 2020 and even appointed former McKinsey partner Emily Del Greco as WPP Media’s global COO earlier this year — showing continuity in this approach.

Cindy Rose brings a track record from Microsoft and BBC, with a focus on digital integration and culture building. Her mission is to create an organisation that acts less like a fragmented holding company and more like a connected marketing platform. That means moving away from one-off campaigns toward sustained brand systems powered by insight and automation.

WPP’s future will be defined by execution. AI will play a key role in transforming workflow, campaign targeting, and creative testing. But equally important is internal transformation — cutting silos, boosting accountability, and driving a culture of collaboration that McKinsey often champions in corporate turnarounds.

For clients, the shift means sharper propositions and measurable outcomes. For investors, it signals fiscal control. For employees, it marks the start of a new performance culture. The coming quarters will test whether this partnership can turn strategy into sustained momentum.

Tags: #WPP #McKinsey #CindyRose #AgencyLeadership #MarketingStrategy

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