Advertising Age
spotlighted VML Global
CEO-WPP Creative CEO
Jon Cook, who will abandon his acronyms and
the global flaming dumpster in
March 2027 “to pursue an undisclosed entrepreneurial venture involving
advertising and technology.”
Cook contends his exit doesn’t reflect reservations about
the Roserrection. Okay,
maybe somebody should define “net impression” for the man.
The single White operating company
doesn’t offer entrepreneurial opportunities involving advertising and
technology?
Cook admits he started considering his career options
last summer, making his departure a relatively quick decision.
In the end, Cook joins a growing number of WPP leaders
who’ve bailed out or
were booted out in the
past couple of years.
WPP will struggle to be the Trusted
Growth Partner For The World’s Leading Brands when leaders
are regularly shuffled, shuttled, and shat on.
A key characteristic for gaining trust is consistency.
Right now, WPP puts the con in consistency.
Jon Cook plans to leave WPP after
30 years at VML—what his exit signals for himself and the holding company
By Brian Bonilla
After three decades helping build VML from a small
Missouri agency into a formidable global network—and leading some of WPP’s
biggest agency integrations—Jon Cook is getting ready to leave and build
something outside the holding company model.
Cook, who serves as both CEO of WPP Creative and global
CEO of VML, will leave WPP by March to pursue an undisclosed entrepreneurial
venture involving advertising and technology. He said only that it will sit
“outside the holding company landscape” and will involve agencies, creativity
and technology. He added that he expects mergers and acquisitions will remain
part of his career.
Eric Campbell, currently North America CEO for VML and
WPP Creative, will succeed him as VML’s global CEO in March, while retaining
his North America CEO role. WPP plans to announce a successor to lead WPP
Creative soon.
Cook reflects on what’s next after WPP
Cook took on the WPP Creative role in February, placing him
at the center of WPP CEO Cindy Rose’s effort to simplify the world’s
fourth-largest agency company. He said that his decision to leave WPP reflected
a desire for new challenges, rather than doubts about the turnaround.
“It has nothing to do with my optimism about WPP’s future,”
Cook told Ad Age.
Cook said his reflection began around the Cannes Lions
International Festival of Creativity this summer. While he described it as
VML’s best showing—VML and Ogilvy ranked second and first among creative
networks, respectively—Cook said that the achievement prompted him to consider
what else he wanted from his career. “I want to do something more
entrepreneurial, more independent, and just completely different,” he said.
Cook’s cardiac arrest experience nearly four years ago,
which left him without a pulse for nine minutes, also reshaped his mindset.
“When that all happened to me, I realized I’m here for a reason—to find my joy
in life. I definitely found that joy in VML and WPP; I’m just going to go find
it somewhere else,” he said.
Telling Rose was difficult. Cook said he had never been
more nervous for a meeting. “I have to be honest: I think her first reaction
was shock, sadness, probably some anger,” he said.
The pair spent months working through the decision, he
said. Rose ultimately supported him and insisted on an extended transition.
Cook said he will help Rose shape WPP Creative’s succession.
“Jon’s contribution to VML, WPP and our entire industry has
been extraordinary,” Rose said in a statement. “He is an exceptional builder—of
enduring client partnerships, world-class agencies and a culture built on
generosity, optimism and genuine care for people. I am deeply grateful for
everything he has done for WPP, and I appreciate his commitment to partner with
us through March 2027 to ensure our teams, clients, and new leaders maintain
their incredible momentum.”
A career of innovation and
integrations
Cook joined VML in 1996 as an account manager, becoming its
28th employee. He rose through the agency as it expanded beyond its Kansas
City, Missouri, roots and became a leader in digital marketing. WPP acquired
the agency in 2001 and Cook was named VML’s global CEO in 2011.
He helped orchestrate two major combinations of WPP’s
agencies. After leading the formation of VMLY&R following VML’s merger with
Young & Rubicam in 2018, Cook became global CEO of the current VML when WPP
combined VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson at the beginning of 2024.
This February, Rose expanded Cook’s remit to oversee WPP
Creative, bringing agencies VML, Ogilvy, Grey, Burson, AKQA, Landor and Design
Bridge & Partners under one operating structure. Cook’s initial focus was
aligning agencies around four regions and regional profit-and-loss structures,
removing barriers to collaboration while retaining agency identities.
He cited Kenvue and Heineken as major creative wins from
the structure. “That wouldn’t have been possible in the past, either because of
misplaced incentives, operational barriers or just bad blood,” Cook said.
He also helped extend enterprise solutions capabilities
embedded in VML and Ogilvy across WPP under a WPP Enterprise Solutions brand,
which now reaches other business units including media and production, as well
as additional clients.
Cook attributed his integration abilities to communication
and relationships.
“I’m not an operational genius. I’m not a super-consultant
brainiac,” Cook said. “One of the things I’ve appreciated about both [former
WPP CEO] Mark Read and Cindy Rose in my career … is they recognize that maybe
the skillset needed for success isn’t those typical things. Rather, it’s
someone who cares about people, cares about communication, celebrates success
and puts people in successful positions.”
