WPP plc facts for kids
Logo used as of 2018
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| Public | |
| Traded as | LSE: WPP NYSE: WPP FTSE 100 Component |
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| Headquarters | London, England, UK |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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| Services |
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| Revenue |  £14,741 million (2024) |
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Operating income
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 £1,325 million (2024) |
| £629 million (2024) |
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Number of employees
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100,000 (2025) |
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WPP plc is a very large company from London, England. It works in communications, advertising, and public relations. WPP is known as the biggest advertising company in the world.
This company owns many other businesses. These include advertising agencies, public relations firms, and media companies. Some well-known ones are AKQA, BCW, EssenceMediacom, Grey, Ogilvy, and Wavemaker. WPP is one of the "Big Four" advertising groups globally. Its shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange.
Contents
History of WPP
WPP started in 1971 as "Wire and Plastic Products plc." It made things like wire shopping baskets. In 1985, two people named Martin Sorrell and Preston Rabl bought a big part of the company. They wanted to use it to build a worldwide marketing business.
Growing Through Acquisitions
In the 1980s, WPP began to grow by buying other companies. This strategy helped them become much larger. For example, in 1987, they bought J. Walter Thompson. This deal included other companies like Hill & Knowlton. In 1989, WPP bought Ogilvy Group. These were big steps in becoming a major player in advertising.
WPP continued buying companies in the 1990s. They added businesses in areas like healthcare advertising and digital marketing. This helped them offer more services to their clients.
Becoming the World's Largest
In May 2000, WPP made a huge purchase. They bought the Young & Rubicam Group for $5.7 billion. This was the biggest takeover in the advertising world at that time. This purchase made WPP the largest advertising company globally.
In the 2000s, WPP also focused on digital services. They created WPP Digital to help with this. In 2008, they bought a market research company called Taylor Nelson Sofres. During the Great Recession in 2009, WPP had to reduce its staff.
Recent Changes and Leadership
WPP kept growing in the 2010s. In 2012, they bought the digital advertising agency AKQA. In 2015, they gained a majority stake in Essence, another digital agency.
In 2018, Martin Sorrell, who had led the company for 33 years, retired. Mark Read became the new CEO in September 2018. Under his leadership, WPP started to change. The company aimed to become simpler and more focused.
Mark Read merged several WPP agencies. For example, J. Walter Thompson joined with Wunderman to form Wunderman Thompson. Also, Y&R merged with VML to create VMLY&R. These changes helped streamline the company. WPP also sold parts of its business, like a big share of Kantar, to reduce debt.
In July 2024, Philip Jansen was announced as the new chairman of WPP. He took over the role on January 1, 2025. In December 2024, WPP sold its stake in FGS Global.
In June 2025, Mark Read announced he would step down as CEO at the end of 2025. In July 2025, WPP announced that Cindy Rose would be the new chief executive. She started her role in September 2025.
How WPP Operates
WPP is a large holding company. This means it owns many different businesses. These businesses work in communications, advertising, and public relations. WPP is considered the biggest advertising agency group in the world.
The company focuses on four main areas: communications, experience, commerce, and technology. WPP has its main office in London, England. In 2018, it had about 130,000 employees. These employees work in over 100 countries around the world.
Key Companies Owned by WPP
WPP owns many well-known advertising agencies. These include Grey, Ogilvy, VMLY&R, and Wunderman Thompson.
For digital services, WPP owns companies like AKQA. In public relations, they own firms such as Hill+Knowlton Strategies and BCW. WPP also has companies that manage media investments, like GroupM, Mindshare, and Wavemaker.
Hogarth Worldwide is a production company owned by WPP. They also have brand consulting companies like Superunion and Landor.
See also
