WPP Chief Operating Officer Andrew Scott to retire at end of year

WPP announced that Chief Operating Officer Andrew Scott will retire from the company and its Board at the end of 2025.

Scott, who joined WPP in 1999, will continue to work with the incoming CEO, Cindy Rose, until his retirement. Following this period, he will serve as a Senior Advisor to assist with the transition of his responsibilities to other senior executives and to support the execution of the strategy.

During his tenure, Scott held several senior positions, including Chief Operating Officer for Europe, before being appointed global COO in 2018. His responsibilities included overseeing WPP’s country operations in key markets. He was appointed to the company’s Board in 2023.

Over the years, Scott has overseen the company’s merger and acquisition activity, with the most recent acquisitions such as Satalia and InfoSum, as well as disposals of major assets, including the sale of a 60% stake in Kantar to Bain Capital and the subsequent sale of FGS Global to KKR.

Speaking about Scott’s retirement decision, Mark Read, outgoing CEO of WPP, said, “Few people have done more than Andrew to shape WPP and to drive its success over the last three decades. He has been a brilliant partner to me and the wider leadership team throughout and has made a tremendous contribution to WPP in his most recent role as Chief Operating Officer."  

Scott said, “After 27 years at WPP, and at a time of transition for the business, it feels like the right moment to make this change. I’ve known Cindy for a long time and worked closely with her on the Board of WPP, and I’m excited for the future of WPP under her leadership. I’d also like to thank Mark and the rest of the team for all the support they’ve given me over the years.”