Laurent Ezekiel Takes Top Job at Ogilvy as Devika Bulchandani Moves to WPP

One week on the job and CEO Cindy Rose is already making big moves at WPP.

On Friday (Sept. 5), the holding company announced that Ogilvy global CEO Devika Bulchandani will take on the role of chief operating officer (COO) at WPP, filling a position left vacant last week by longtime company veteran Andrew Scott.

Taking on Bulchandani’s role at Ogilvy is Laurent Ezekiel, who will also adopt the title of executive sponsor for WPP Open X, the holding company’s bespoke agency for The Coca-Cola Company. Ezekiel will be succeeded as CEO of Open X by Floriane Tripolino, global client lead at WPP overseeing the Nestlé account. 

The moves come one week into Rose’s tenure as CEO. The former Microsoft exec was appointed to the top job in July after Mark Read announced his departure in June. Her first day was Monday, Sept. 1. 

In a statement, she said the appointments “underscore WPP’s commitment to delivering unparalleled value and innovation.”

“Devika’s deep obsession with helping our clients grow and win will help us accelerate our growth across the entire WPP landscape. Laurent’s close, successful partnership with The Coca Cola Company and creation of WPP Open X gives him valuable insight and experience to help navigate the needs of our largest clients, many of which are housed in Ogilvy,” she continued. 

As COO, Bulchandani will oversee WPP’s country managers, growth teams, and client leaders to pull together bespoke solutions across the holding company for clients. 

“I truly believe that when we seamlessly bring together WPP’s world-class capabilities, we become an invincible force–one that unlocks unparalleled value for our clients,” she said in a statement.

Ezekiel will be responsible for Ogilvy’s global business across advertising, PR, social and influence, customer engagement, consulting, and health. That includes Grey, which moved from under AKQA to Ogilvy in May. 

“The future of Ogilvy is bright, and I’m thrilled to be a part of writing the next chapter of marketing history with our teams and clients,” he said in a press release.

A new era for WPP  

As Rose takes the helm, she’s under pressure to turn around WPP after a difficult few years. 

In its latest earnings report, WPP reported a revenue drop of 5.8% and announced a strategic review of the business.   

Part of that plan is ensuring ongoing strong leadership at Ogilvy, which laid off 5% of its global workforce, or roughly 700 employees, in June, as well as protecting and growing WPP’s relationship with Coca-Cola, after the holding company lost its North American media business to Publicis earlier this year. 

“These leaders embody the strategic vision and creative excellence that define WPP,” Rose said. “Their collective expertise will play a crucial part in helping me drive WPP to our next phase of growth and ensuring our clients continue to win in a rapidly evolving market.”