VML EMEA chief executive Ewen Sturgeon is to lead the new WPP Creative division across the region, spearheading VML, Ogilvy, Burson, AKQA, Landor, and Design Bridge & Partners as the agency group seeks to streamline its operation.
The move is part of WPP’s global CEO Cindu Rose plan to transform the business from a sprawling holding company with hundreds of business units to an integrated organisation with four divisions: WPP Media, WPP Creative, WPP Production and WPP Enterprise Solutions.
Reporting directly to the global CEO of WPP Creative and VML Jon Cook, Sturgeon will also continue in his current VML role, which he has held since 2019.
Sturgeon, who insists his expertise lies in weaving together commerce, creativity, data, and technology, started his career in 1992 by launching one of the first digital agencies, The Presentation Company. It later became Wheel before being acquired by LBi in 2005, and he was promoted to CEO of the EMEA and APAC regions.
In September 2012, Publicis Groupe bought LBi for £333m in a cash deal and later merged the company with Digitas to form DigitasLBi.
Sturgeon then held the role of CEO of DigitasLBi International for over four years, where he helped build the European business and also developed the first Digital Centre of Innovation for AstraZeneca.
Later he became chief operating officer of Publicis Sapient’s EMEA region, where he helped lead the integration of DigitasLBi, SapientRazorfish and Sapient Consulting Assets across Europe. He left in 2018.
Within a year, however, he returned to the business as CEO of Wunderman Thompson for Europe and South Africa, overseeing 6,500 employees across 76 offices, effectively succeeding Mel Edwards who had been promoted to global CEO.
In 2024, the agency merged VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson to form VML.
Sturgeon is also an experienced investor in start-ups, including Seat Unique, Bulbshare, OnePulse, School Space, and Hush.
His appointment comes as WPP has released a trading update which shows its revenue has fallen by 6.6% to £3bn in the first quarter, while revenue less so-called “pass-through costs”, a metric used to strip out costs on behalf of clients, fell by more than 8%.
However, WPP chief executive Cindy Rose remains upbeat. She said: “Building a simpler, integrated WPP – powered by WPP Open – is resonating with clients and driving strong new business. While it is only a few months since we unveiled our Elevate28 strategy, I am encouraged by this momentum which validates the ‘stabilisation’ phase of the plan and our path to growth.
“Consistent organic growth remains our North Star. While it will take time to outpace historical losses, our Q1 results are in line with expectations and ahead of Q4 2025.
“I would like to thank our clients and partners for their trust, our shareholders for their continued support and our people for their unwavering commitment as we execute our plan.”
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