Media Council Breakfast

Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive, WPP

May 10, 2013
8:00 – 9:00 AM
New York








Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive, WPP

Sir Martin Sorrell founded WPP, the world’s largest advertising and marketing services group, in 1985 and has been chief executive throughout. WPP companies, which include some of the most eminent agencies in the business, provide clients with advertising, media investment management, consumer insight, public relations and public affairs, branding and identity, healthcare communications, direct, interactive and internet marketing, and specialist communications services. Collectively, WPP employs over 165,000 people in over 3,000 offices across 110 countries. The group’s worldwide companies include JWT, Ogilvy & Mather Advertising, Y&R, Grey, Mindshare, MEC, MediaCom, Kantar (including Millward Brown and TNS), Wunderman, Burson-Marsteller, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Landor, The Brand Union, G2, Fitch, The Partners, AKQA, and WPP Digital (including 24/7 Media). Clients include 350 of the Fortune Global 500, all 30 of the Dow Jones 30, 63 of the NASDAQ 100, and 31 of the Fortune e-50. In 2012, WPP had revenues of $16.5 billion and billings of $70.5 billion. Sorrell actively supports the advancement of international business schools – advising Harvard, IESE, the Indian School of Business, and the China Europe International Business School. He has been publicly recognised with a number of awards including the Harvard Business School Alumni Achievement Award.  He received a knighthood in January 2000. Sorrell contributes to many important organisations and charities. In 2006, he was appointed a non executive director of Alpha Topco, the Formula 1 company. In 2008, he was appointed by The English Football Association to the board of the bid to stage the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He is on the executive committee of the World Economic Forum International Business Council and a member of the Business Council in the US. He is a trustee of the British Museum, a member of the corporate advisory group of the Tate Gallery, and on the international advisory board of The Russian Museum in St. Petersburg. In 2010 he was appointed to the board of directors of the Bloomberg Family Foundation. He is vice-chairman of IBLAC. He is a non-executive director of Sorrell Capital. In 2011 he was appointed a member of the advisory board of Stanhope Capital. In 2012 he was appointed a non-executive director of Alcoa.

Moderated by Chrystia Freeland, Editor at Large, Thomson Reuters

Chrystia Freeland is editor at large at Thomson Reuters. Prior, she was US managing editor of the Financial Times. Before that, Freeland was deputy editor, Financial Times, in London, editor of the FT’s weekend edition, editor of FT.com, UK news editor, Moscow bureau chief, and Eastern Europe correspondent. From 1999 to 2001, Freeland served for two years as deputy editor of The Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper. Freeland began her career working as a stringer in Ukraine, writing for the FT, The Washington Post, and The Economist.


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