WPP appoints Lindsay Pattison as global chief people officer

WPP has announced the appointment of Lindsay Pattison as global chief people officer with responsibility for the company’s people strategy and operations.

Pattison succeeds Jennifer Remling, who is leaving to become chief people officer at Warner Bros. Discovery.

Pattison is currently WPP’s global chief client officer, leading WPP’s relationships with its major clients – a role she has held since 2018. She is responsible for developing and supporting the global client leaders of the company’s largest clients, representing a third of WPP’s revenue. Prior to that, she held a number of leadership roles at WPP, GroupM and media agency Maxus.

Pattison has been a passionate advocate for talent throughout her career and will bring this passion and her business and client experience to the role of global chief people officer. She is committed to developing the best talent and taking action to improve diversity at the highest levels of business, with a strong track record of delivering initiatives to improve gender diversity in particular. As CEO of Maxus she launched Walk The Talk, an initiative to help senior women reach their full potential, and after moving to her current position she sponsored the scheme at a global level for WPP. More than 3,000 female leaders have participated to date around the world.

She has also played an important role on WPP’s Diversity & Inclusion Council, sponsored its Elevate programme for Black female talent and, as a former president of WACL (Women in Advertising and Communications Leadership), mentored early-career talent across the industry.

Pattison is an independent non-executive director for the Rugby World Cup (England 2025) Limited, which will deliver the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025. She also serves on the board (including as chair of the compensation committee) of Waldencast, the NASDAQ-listed global beauty and wellness company; the advisory board of Planet First Partners, a fund focused on sustainable products and services; Meta’s Global Client Council; and the UK Effies advisory board, focused on driving effectiveness in marketing. Pattison served two terms on the WEF Global Agenda Council on the Future of Media, including two years as co-chair.

Says Mark Read, CEO of WPP: “Lindsay is extremely highly regarded across the industry as a leader who can identify and develop top talent, and as a trusted partner to global clients. She has a deep understanding of our business, people and culture, and her strong commercial focus will help to drive our future people strategy.

“Jennifer has been an excellent partner to me, the rest of the executive team and the leaders of our agencies, and I’d like to thank her for everything she’s contributed to WPP and our agencies over the last seven years.”

Says Pattison: “Our business and our clients succeed when we have the best, most highly motivated talent. Our most valuable assets are our people, and creating the culture and environment where they can do the work of their lives is both what excites me about this new role, and what will deliver results for our clients.”

Pattison and Remling will work closely together on the transition until the end of the year, taking up their new positions in January 2024. An announcement regarding Pattison’s successor will be made shortly.