Global Reorganization Announced at AKQA Following CEO's Exit
Here's a fresh take on that:
Hey there! Let's dig into the latest shake-up at AKQA, the digital powerhouse owned by WPP. Around two months after the departure of its founder and CEO, Ajaz Ahmed, the agency's network has been reimagined to enhance service delivery for clients across various markets.
The new organizational structure is all about simplifying access to AKQA's offerings. To achieve this, they've simplified their global network into three profit and loss (P&L) divisions by market: the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), and Asia-Pacific (APAC).
A global executive committee, led by Stephan Pretorius (interim chair of AKQA and CTO at WPP), is driving this shift towards a more client-centric model. As Pretorius put it, they're shifting from a studio-centric model to one that prioritizes clients.
While details about the co-founder's departure are scarce, it's clear that AKQA remains a key digital-first network within WPP's six core agency networks, alongside the likes of Burson, GroupM, Hogarth, Ogilvy, and VML. The broader strategic shift at WPP, aiming to integrate creative, production, commerce, and media capabilities, provides valuable context for AKQA's new structure.
WPP CEO, Mark Read, has emphasized retaining and strengthening AKQA rather than divesting it. Integration between AKQA and other networks within WPP, such as GroupM for media and Ogilvy for branding, is now a priority to deliver seamless campaigns.
In addition, WPP is boosting its annual investment in AI to £300 million, no doubt supporting AKQA's use of automation for content creation and media planning. Lastly, Read's push for more in-office work could help rebuild collaborative cultures, bolstering AKQA's service delivery.
In a nutshell, AKQA's recent moves hint at a focus on client growth and AI adoption within WPP's broader directive. Exciting times ahead!
- WPP, in its strategic efforts, announced a simplified finance structure for AKQA's business, dividing its global network into three profit and loss (P&L) divisions: the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Asia-Pacific (APAC), and the newly reimagined agency.
- To further simplify access to AKQA's offerings, the agency's network has been reorganized, with a focus on enhancing service delivery for clients, away from a studio-centric model and towards a client-centric one.
- Stephan Pretorius, the interim chair of AKQA and CTO at WPP, chairs the global executive committee driving this change, with the aim of integrating AKQA more closely with other WPP networks, such as GroupM and Ogilvy, to deliver seamless campaigns.
- In line with WPP's broader strategic shift, AKQA is expected to leverage technology, particularly AI, with an increased annual investment of £300 million, to boost automation for content creation and media planning.
