Microsoft executive Cindy Rose has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of WPP, the British multinational communications company.
She has spent the last nine years in senior leadership positions at Microsoft, where she is currently Chief Operating Officer, Global Enterprise. Rose will step into her new role of CEO at WPP on 1 September 2025.
Rose has also previously held roles including Managing Director of the UK consumer business at Vodafone and Executive Director of Digital Entertainment and Media Sales at Virgin Media. She spent 15 years at The Walt Disney Company, ultimately as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Disney Interactive Media Group, EMEA.
She is a graduate of Columbia University and New York Law School, and an Advisory Board Member at Imperial College Business School in London and McLaren Racing.
Holding both British and American citizenship, Rose will be based in both London and New York.
Speaking about her new position with WPP, Rose said it’s “a company I know and love”, having spent six years as a Non-Executive Director on the Board and been “a client and partner for many years before that”.
“I couldn’t be happier or more excited to be appointed as CEO,” she said. “I began my career in the creative industries and this feels like coming home.”
“There are so many opportunities ahead for WPP. We have and continue to build market leading AI capabilities, alongside an unrivalled reputation for creative excellence and a preeminent client list. WPP has the most brilliant, talented, creative people and I can’t wait to write the company’s next chapter together.”
Rose will succeed Mark Read as CEO, who will support her transition until the end of the year.
Read said he was “delighted” to see Rose’s appointment.
“Having worked closely with Cindy for the last six years, I am delighted to see her appointed as CEO of WPP. From her time on the Board, she has real insight into our business and knows many of our clients, people and partners around the world,” Read said.
“She brings deep experience of technology and AI and its transformational impact on business, and has successfully run large global organisations with talent at their core. After seven years as CEO, I know that I am leaving WPP in excellent hands.”
The Chair of WPP, Philip Jansen described Rose as “an outstanding and inspirational business leader with extensive experience at some of the world’s most recognised companies and a track record of growing large-scale businesses”,
“She has led multi-billion-dollar operations across the UK, EMEA and globally, built enduring client relationships and delivered growth in both enterprise and consumer environments,” said Jansen.
“Cindy has supported the digital transformation of large enterprises around the world – including embracing AI to create new customer experiences, business models and revenue streams. Her expertise in this landscape will be hugely valuable to WPP as the industry navigates fundamental changes and macroeconomic uncertainty.”
“Cindy’s appointment follows a thorough selection process that considered both internal and external candidates. As an existing Board member she understands our business and the needs of our clients, and we look forward to working with her in her new role as CEO.”