WPP’s Global Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs Chris Wade departs

WPP’s Global Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs Chris Wade has announced his departure after more than a decade with the company.

Wade exits following 13 years in senior communications leadership at WPP, during which time he played a key role in shaping the holding company’s global reputation and response through some of its most transformative moments, including a CEO transition, brand relaunch, pandemic response, and the group’s decision to exit Russia.

His departure comes at a time of wider leadership transition for the company, following last month’s announcement that WPP CEO Mark Read will also step down. Wade shared news of his decision in a post on LinkedIn, reflecting on a tenure that saw him lead WPP’s global communications, public affairs and brand activity through a range of challenges and milestones.

During his time in the role, Wade was instrumental in establishing WPP’s central corporate affairs function, amplifying the group’s creative and technological leadership, and driving a range of social impact initiatives including industry support for the UN Sustainable Development Goals and humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

WPP’s outgoing CEO Mark Read praised Wade’s contribution in a message to staff, noting that “Chris worked very closely with me on creating the ‘new WPP’ – helping to rebrand the company and to establish a new voice and culture at the heart of the business rooted in respect and inclusion.” Read added that Wade had shown “deep experience, astute judgement and steadfast support for his colleagues” throughout his tenure.

Wade will be succeeded by Michael Frohlich (pictured below), who returns to WPP following senior leadership roles at Weber Shandwick, where he served as Global Chief Client Transformation Officer and EMEA CEO. Frohlich previously led Ogilvy PR across EMEA and later served as UK CEO of Ogilvy Group.

Frohlich steps into the role at a pivotal moment for WPP, as the company continues to evolve its positioning around creativity, technology and transformation. He is expected to formally commence the role in the coming weeks.

Mark Read’s full message to WPP leadership and staff regarding Wade’s departure is included below.

To CEOs and Leaders; WPP HQ

After 13 successful years with WPP, Chris Wade has decided to step down as our Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs.

Having achieved so much at WPP, Chris has been considering what’s next for him for some time and – with the wider changes happening in the business and following much discussion between us – he felt now was the right moment to move on to something new.

Throughout his time at WPP, and not least during periods of turbulence and global uncertainty, the company has benefited enormously from his deep experience, astute judgement and steadfast support for his colleagues.

Chris worked very closely with me on creating the “new WPP” – helping to rebrand the company and to establish a new voice and culture at the heart of the business rooted in respect and inclusion. His contribution was invaluable to me and to the company. He has also helped us navigate the pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine and the increasingly challenged social and political environment in which we operate.

Over the last seven years Chris has built a modern communications and corporate affairs function for WPP while tirelessly promoting and defending our reputation. Our leadership position in the application of creativity and technology to marketing owes a great deal to Chris and his team, who have also transformed WPP’s own online and social presence – most recently driving mass engagement with our new brand campaign. He has also established a highly effective public affairs operation which has significantly advanced our interests and reputation with policy-makers, regulators and industry bodies.

Chris is a trusted partner and friend to countless people in every part of WPP, and he is admired and respected across the business. I’m personally very grateful for the support he has given me in the years before and during my time as CEO, and I know many others feel the same. We will all miss his wise counsel, his sense of humour and his unfailing dedication to the interests of WPP and its people.

I am pleased to announce that Chris will be succeeded by Michael Frohlich who joins us from The Weber Shandwick Collective, where he has held the position of Global Chief Client Transformation Officer and EMEA CEO for the last four years. Many of you will know Michael from his prior roles with WPP which include leading Ogilvy PR in the UK and EMEA, and subsequently the wider Ogilvy Group in the UK, where as CEO he drove the integration of the agency’s different marketing disciplines. During that time, he was also a WPP client leader for IAG and British Airways.

I’m sure you will give Michael a warm welcome (back) to WPP and I will be in touch when he starts to introduce him and his role more fully.

I know you will join me in thanking Chris for his huge contribution to WPP. I want to reiterate my thanks to him for all his advice and help to me over the last seven years and to wish him all the very best for the future.

Mark