Philip Jansen Takes Helm as WPP Chair Amid Market Challenges

WPP has appointed former BT chief Philip Jansen as its new chair, succeeding Roberto Quarta. Jansen will join the board in September and take over officially on January 1. The move comes as WPP faces challenges with an organic revenue drop in Q1, less tech client spending, a China downturn, and Pfizer business loss.

WPP announced on Tuesday the appointment of former BT chief Philip Jansen as its new chair, replacing Roberto Quarta at the helm of the world's largest advertising company.

Jansen is set to join WPP's board in September and will officially take over Quarta's role on January 1. The appointment comes at a challenging time for WPP, which saw a decline in organic revenue in the first quarter due to reduced spending from tech clients, economic downturn in China, and the loss of business from Pfizer.

WPP CEO Mark Read lauded Quarta's leadership, stating, "Quarta has helped navigate the company through significant challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, overseen portfolio restructuring for financial stability, and guided the reshaping of our offer to meet modern marketing needs." Philip Jansen left BT earlier this year.