Andrew Scott
Andrew Scott

Andrew Scott, COO of WPP, plans to retire at the end of year after a 27-year run at the communications giant.

In the interim, he will serve as a senior advisor to CEO Cindy Rose, who replaces Mark Read on Sept. 1.

Scott joined WPP as director of corporate development and served as COO for Europe before taking global COO duties in 2018. He was appointed to the board in 2023.

Scott led WPP’s M&A activities and helped position it in AI, data and technology sectors. Most recently, he handled “strategic disposals,” such as the sale of a 60 percent stake in Kantar to Bain Capital, and the divestiture of FGS Global to KKR.

Scott said he felt the CEO transition provides the right moment to retire. “I’ve known Cindy for a long time and worked closely with her on the Board of WPP, and I’m excited for the future of WPP under her leadership,” he said.