Latest news with #GroupM
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Mark Read to retire as WPP CEO
HighlightsMark Read, the chief executive of British advertising giant WPP, will retire at the end of the year after a seven-year tenure leading the company that owns renowned agencies like Ogilvy and GroupM. During his leadership, Mark Read focused on streamlining WPP's vast operations and strengthening its core business, while the company faced challenges in adapting to digital platforms and evolving industry dynamics. WPP has not yet named a successor for Mark Read, and the new chief executive will be tasked with revitalizing growth and navigating the rapidly changing global advertising landscape. Mark Read , the chief executive of British advertising giant WPP , will retire from his position at the end of the year, concluding a seven-year tenure leading the company that owns renowned agencies like Ogilvy and GroupM. The announcement was made by WPP on Monday. Read's departure comes as WPP, which recently lost its title as the world's largest advertising group to Publicis, navigates a challenging market environment. In February, WPP projected a flat to 2% decline in growth for the current year, signaling ongoing struggles. During his leadership, Read focused on streamlining WPP's vast operations and strengthening its core business. In a statement, he affirmed that he had successfully built "a simpler, stronger business," and that now was "the right time to hand over to a new leader." Read took the helm in 2018, succeeding founder Martin Sorrell. His time as CEO saw WPP grapple with evolving industry dynamics, including the rise of digital platforms and in-house agency models. The company has been working to adapt its offerings and maintain its competitive edge amidst these shifts. WPP has not yet named a successor, and the search for a new chief executive is expected to begin shortly. The incoming leader will face the task of revitalizing growth and steering the advertising powerhouse through a rapidly changing global advertising landscape.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Here's What We Like About Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad's (KLSE:MRDIY) Upcoming Dividend
Some investors rely on dividends for growing their wealth, and if you're one of those dividend sleuths, you might be intrigued to know that Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad (KLSE:MRDIY) is about to go ex-dividend in just 3 days. The ex-dividend date generally occurs two days before the record date, which is the day on which shareholders need to be on the company's books in order to receive a dividend. It is important to be aware of the ex-dividend date because any trade on the stock needs to have been settled on or before the record date. Meaning, you will need to purchase Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad's shares before the 6th of June to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 8th of July. The company's next dividend payment will be RM00.014 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of RM0.05 to shareholders. Last year's total dividend payments show that Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad has a trailing yield of 3.2% on the current share price of RM01.58. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. Dividends are usually paid out of company profits, so if a company pays out more than it earned then its dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut. Its dividend payout ratio is 85% of profit, which means the company is paying out a majority of its earnings. The relatively limited profit reinvestment could slow the rate of future earnings growth. It could become a concern if earnings started to decline. Yet cash flow is typically more important than profit for assessing dividend sustainability, so we should always check if the company generated enough cash to afford its dividend. Dividends consumed 55% of the company's free cash flow last year, which is within a normal range for most dividend-paying organisations. It's positive to see that Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut. View our latest analysis for Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends. Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. For this reason, we're glad to see Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad's earnings per share have risen 13% per annum over the last five years. It paid out more than three-quarters of its earnings in the last year, even though earnings per share are growing rapidly. Higher earnings generally bode well for growing dividends, although with seemingly strong growth prospects we'd wonder why management are not reinvesting more in the business. Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the last five years, Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad has lifted its dividend by approximately 21% a year on average. It's great to see earnings per share growing rapidly over several years, and dividends per share growing right along with it. From a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad? It's good to see earnings are growing, since all of the best dividend stocks grow their earnings meaningfully over the long run. That's why we're glad to see Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad's earnings per share growing, although as we saw, the company is paying out more than half of its earnings and cashflow - 85% and 55% respectively. In summary, while it has some positive characteristics, we're not inclined to race out and buy Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad today. So while Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad looks good from a dividend perspective, it's always worthwhile being up to date with the risks involved in this stock. To help with this, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Mr D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad that you should be aware of before investing in their shares. Generally, we wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see. Here's a curated list of interesting stocks that are strong dividend payers. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Zawya
29-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
WPP Media launches as fully integrated, AI-powered media company
WPP today strengthened its position as the leading marketing services business for the intelligent era with the launch of its AI-driven media company, WPP Media. Reflecting growing demand from marketers for fully integrated capabilities, WPP Media replaces GroupM as the name for WPP's global media company. WPP Media manages more than $60 billion in annual media investment and works with more than 75% of the world's leading advertisers in over 80 markets. Mindshare, Wavemaker, and EssenceMediacom will continue to provide clients with dedicated teams as brands within WPP Media, leveraging common capabilities, technology and support functions. WPP Media is seamlessly connected with WPP's wider global agency networks and capabilities through WPP Open – WPP's AI-enabled marketing system – creating the industry's most advanced platform for scaled and integrated creative, production, data, commerce and personalized media delivery services. WPP Open is backed by £300m in investment each year and partnerships with the leading AI companies. WPP Media's fully integrated offering enables clients to unify media, data and production and holistically manage their owned, earned, shared and paid activities to deliver personalization at scale. The company's services are further enhanced with best-in-class connected commerce and state-of-the-art measurement and analytics capabilities. WPP Media is underpinned by a commitment to accelerate investments in learning and development initiatives that will provide career pathways to the jobs of the future, ensuring employees are empowered to lead marketing and media transformation in the AI era. For more information about WPP Media's integrated capabilities and to explore WPP Media's new brand identity, visit Brian Lesser, CEO of WPP Media, said: 'Consumers already expect advertising to be relevant and engaging and buying experiences to be seamless; those expectations are only going to accelerate in the age of AI. WPP Media is built for a world in which media is everywhere and in everything. By investing in our AI-powered product, integrating our offer with data and technology, and equipping our people with future-facing skills, we're helping our clients to stay ahead of rapidly changing consumer behavior and unlock the limitless opportunities for growth that AI will create.' Today's announcement comes as WPP launches a new cross-channel B2B campaign targeting business leaders and senior marketing decision-makers. The campaign showcases WPP's AI credentials, its integrated proposition, and the advanced capabilities of WPP Open. For more, visit Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: 'We believe that WPP is the strongest marketing partner for the world's leading brands in the AI era, where technology and talent converge. The move to WPP Media continues our strategy to simplify and integrate our offer for clients. While GroupM was built for a time when media scale mattered most, WPP Media reflects the power of AI, data and technology and simpler, more integrated solutions. 'Our vision for the future is clear – marketing that is informed by data, led by seamlessly connected teams of brilliant people, and full of new opportunities for our clients.' Contact details: Felicity Stokes Head of Marketing and Communications, WPP Media MENA +971521469638 About WPP WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities. For more information, visit About WPP Media WPP Media is WPP's global media collective. In a world where media is everywhere and in everything, we bring the best platform, people, and partners together to create limitless opportunities for growth. For more information, visit
Campaign ME
28-05-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
GroupM officially rebrands to WPP Media
GroupM has officially rebranded as WPP Media and is now describing itself as an 'AI-driven media company'. Campaign UK first reported on the move to rename the media investment arm in early May. At the time, a spokesperson said that WPP doesn't 'comment on speculation'. Of the rebrand, Mark Read, chief executive at WPP, said that while 'GroupM was built for a time when media scale mattered most, WPP Media reflects the power of AI, data and technology and simpler, more integrated solutions'. Mindshare, Wavemaker and EssenceMediacom are set to continue to provide clients with dedicated teams as brands within WPP Media. Despite media agencies continuing to operate as distinct brands within WPP Media, GroupM told staff earlier this month that these brands will move to a single P&L and act as 'one voice in the market', with agency-specific titles set to 'sunset'. Last week, the media operating arm told staff which roles would be at risk of redundancy in the UK. The latest move comes after Brian Lesser, chief executive of WPP Media, told investors in March 2025 that WPP '[knows] that we have to be simpler' and laid out a five-point plan which included a shift to focus on an AI-based data strategy. Lesser added: 'By investing in our AI-powered product (WPP Open), integrating our offer with data and technology, and equipping our people with future-facing skills, we're helping our clients to stay ahead of rapidly changing consumer behaviour and unlock the limitless opportunities for growth that AI will create.' Lesser has made a series of changes to streamline the business since joining in September 2024, when he replaced Christian Juhl. For instance, he axed global agency brand chief executive roles for media agencies EssenceMediacom, Mindshare and Wavemaker in a bid to further centralise operations. GroupM EMEA chief executive Josh Krichefski left the business in March, after 14 years. Its leaders in key markets, including the UK, now report directly to Lesser.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
WPP replaces GroupM with AI-powered WPP Media
WPP today launched WPP Media , replacing GroupM as its global media company. This move marks a strategic shift to meet rising demand from marketers for fully integrated, AI-driven solutions that connect media, data, and production at scale. Managing over $60 billion in annual media investment , WPP Media works with more than 75% of the world's top advertisers across 80+ markets. WPP Media is the largest media agency network in India. Existing agency brands—Mindshare, Wavemaker, and EssenceMediacom—will remain under the new WPP Media umbrella, continuing to serve clients with dedicated teams and shared access to technology, capabilities, and support services. WPP Media is integrated with WPP's broader global agency network through WPP Open, the company's AI-enabled marketing system. Backed by £300 million in annual investment and leading AI partnerships, WPP Open will power advanced capabilities across creative, data, commerce, production, and media delivery—making it the most comprehensive platform in the industry. WPP Media will enable advertisers to unify their media, data, and production strategies and manage owned, earned, shared, and paid media holistically. The offering includes advanced measurement, analytics, and connected commerce tools to deliver personalisation at scale. As part of its transformation, WPP Media is also investing in future-focused learning and development initiatives to build career pathways and equip employees to lead in the AI era. Brian Lesser, CEO of WPP Media, said: 'Consumers already expect advertising to be relevant and engaging and buying experiences to be seamless; those expectations are only going to accelerate in the age of AI. WPP Media is built for a world in which media is everywhere and in everything. By investing in our AI-powered product, integrating our offer with data and technology, and equipping our people with future-facing skills, we're helping our clients to stay ahead of rapidly changing consumer behavior and unlock the limitless opportunities for growth that AI will create.' Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: 'We believe that WPP is the strongest marketing partner for the world's leading brands in the AI era, where technology and talent converge. The move to WPP Media continues our strategy to simplify and integrate our offer for clients. While GroupM was built for a time when media scale mattered most, WPP Media reflects the power of AI, data and technology and simpler, more integrated solutions. Our vision for the future is clear – marketing that is informed by data, led by seamlessly connected teams of brilliant people, and full of new opportunities for our clients.'
