WPP appoints Elav Horwitz as Chief Innovation Officer

WPP has appointed Elav Horwitz as its first Chief Innovation Officer, a newly created role aimed at strengthening the company’s focus on applied AI and technology-led transformation for clients.

In her new position, Horwitz will connect the agency’s global network of partners with its creative and strategic teams, fostering collaboration and innovation. She will continue to report to Stephan Pretorius, WPP’s Chief Technology Officer.

The agency said Horwitz’s appointment reinforces its investment in technology, data, and AI innovation, following a series of recent hires, including Daniel Barak as Global Creative and Innovation Lead, Sarah Salter as VP of Global Partnerships & AI Innovation, and Mathieu Albrand as Director of AI Strategy and Innovation.

Speaking on Horwitz’s appointment, Stephan Pretorius said, “Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at WPP, and Elav’s promotion to Chief Innovation Officer, together with the world-class team she is assembling, underscores our commitment to actively shape the future of our industry. She will be instrumental in ensuring our company remains at the center of technology-driven innovation, translating the power of applied AI into concrete solutions that drive material business impact for our clients.”

Elav Horwitz said, “Never before has the need for innovation and agility been more critical than in our AI era. We must show our teams, clients and the entire industry what's possible by uniting the best talents, capabilities, partners and a forward-thinking mindset, enabling us to deliver results in a matter of hours and make the future both tangible and democratised.”

WPP CEO Cindy Rose added, “As we rewrite the marketing playbook for the AI era, we’re thrilled to have Elav lead our innovation agenda. This appointment underscores our investment to embed innovation into the core of everything we do, ensuring our clients benefit from the most advanced and effective solutions."

According to the agency, Horwitz will drive the company’s innovation agenda through three core pillars:

Innovative talent - developing new creative technologists through the agency’s Creative Tech Apprenticeship programme in partnership with Google.

Cutting-edge technology models - deepening client access to advanced AI through partnerships with firms like Adobe, Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft.

Innovation in motion - embedding AI across creative, production, and media workflows, including a new AI Client Council for collaborative experimentation.