WPP global comms boss Chris Wade steps down

Chris Wade (pictured above, left), WPP’s longstanding director of communications and corporate affairs, is leaving the advertising and PR behemoth to be replaced by one of the UK PR industry’s best-known names.

Michael Frohlich (above, right), formerly Weber Shandwick’s EMEA CEO, will take over WPP’s comms and corporate affairs from next month. Frohlich departed Weber in the spring, after four years with the Interpublic Group-owned PR network.

In a note to all staff this morning, WPP chief executive Mark Read said: “Chris worked very closely with me on creating the ‘new WPP’ – helping to rebrand the company and to establish a new voice and culture at the heart of the business rooted in respect and inclusion. We will all miss his wise counsel, his sense of humour and his unfailing dedication to the interests of WPP and its people.”

Wade told PRWeek he has decided to take a career break, spend more time with his family and carefully consider his next move. It is understood that his decision to leave is not directly related to Read’s own departure, announced last month, but is something he has been considering for a long time.

“After 13 wonderful, eventful years at WPP, I’ve decided it’s time for a change,” said Wade. ”I’ve been considering what’s next and, as WPP prepares for a change of its own, it felt like a good moment to do something new.”

Before his long stint at WPP – which has included working closely with two CEOs, Sir Martin Sorrell and Read – Wade held senior comms roles at Guardian Media Group and before that Trinity Mirror (now Reach plc). 

His successor, Frohlich, knows WPP well. His prior roles there include leading Ogilvy PR in the UK and EMEA – for nearly a decade – and subsequently, the wider Ogilvy Group. He was chief executive of Ogilvy in the UK for a further three years, where he drove the integration of the agency’s different marketing disciplines. During that time, he was also a WPP client leader for IAG and British Airways.

“I have spent much of my recent career working across global marketing and communications businesses and to now be entrusted with the voice of WPP is a huge honour,” said Frohlich. “I deeply understand what our stakeholders need and expect, and I look forward to marrying that knowledge and experience with WPP’s industry-leading capabilities such as WPP Open and Open Intelligence.”

WPP is indeed an organisation in the midst of huge change. Mark Read announced his departure in June after 30 years with the company and seven years as CEO, having taken over from the founder Sir Martin Sorrell.

Still employing 100,000 people worldwide, WPP lost its position as the world’s largest marketing services group last year, to the Paris-headquartered Publicis Groupe. The company’s share price has been in long-term decline and analysts believe it faces huge challenges adapting to the AI revolution and other technological change.