WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients, and communities.
Working at WPP means being part of a global network of more than 115,000 accomplished people in 110 countries. WPP has headquarters in New York, London and Singapore and a corporate presence in major markets worldwide.
We create transformative ideas and outcomes for our clients through an integrated offer of communications, experience, commerce, and technology.
WPP and our award-winning agencies work with most of the world's biggest companies and organisations – from Ford, Unilever and P&G to Google, HSBC, and the UN. Our clients include 61 of the FTSE 100, 307 of the Fortune Global 500, all 30 of the Dow Jones 30 and 62 of the NASDAQ 100. WPP are the leader in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index and 20th in the FTSE 100 rankings for Women on Boards.
As a key leader on the WPP Technology Leadership and Strategy team, the EVP Global Strategic Partnerships is responsible for leading and managing the relationships with our key technology partners across the ecosystem from AI to Creative to Experience to Commerce. Reporting to the Global Chief Technology Officer, you will lead a global team of business development and relationship builders tasked with growing deep, mutually beneficial partnerships to drive innovation and revenue opportunity across WPP.
About the role
The EVP Strategic Partnerships will:
- Manage and optimize the existing Global Strategic Partnerships team
- Lead the relationship with key strategic partners, including Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Amazon, Meta, IBM, Adobe, Salesforce, Bytedance, Stripe, Sitecore, Shopify, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Stability
- Support client teams across WPP and agencies to grow partnerships related revenue
- Further evolve and optimize the partner strategy and focus areas
- Identify and develop new partnerships in strategic areas like AI, commerce and creative technology
- Manage commercial targets and pipeline between partners and agencies
- Support agency and WPP growth teams with partner resources and solutions on all key pitches
- Engage directly with the WPP CEO and Executive Team, agency CEOs and the WPP Board on topics related to partners
- Engage directly with other members of the WPP CTO team to enable partner related workstreams for key development areas such as AI and WPP Open
Measures of Success
- In 3 months you will:
- Engage the current Partner Team, review current projects and in-flight activity, agree OKRs for 2025, and meet all key partner stakeholders and leadership.
- In 6 months you will:
- Develop a detailed partner sales pipeline, meet and engage all WPP agency leadership.
- Develop, test and roll out an AI partner strategy, including the organizational changes to deliver this strategy.
- In one year you will:
- Grow partner attached revenue +25%.
- Closely align the Partner Strategy with the WPP product strategy (WPP Open, Studios, Brains) and develop a scalable, repeatable commercial model for partner technology integrations into WPP Open.
- Develop partnership communications strategy to amplify WPP’s reputation as the world’s foremost creative transformation company – 4 case studies, events, press releases per quarter
- Integrate the WPP Partner narrative into all major pitches.
- Grow service density through the partner channel - upselling via partners on key clients, integrating partner strategies in every 2026 GCL growth plan.
Your Skills and Experience:
- 15+ years in digital strategy, business development and alliance management.
- Global experience and understanding of digital media and the technology and, specifically, AI partner ecosystem.
- Proven track record of building market-defining, high-visibility strategic partnerships at the intersection of technology, marketing, advertising, and media.
- Deep understanding of global agency holding companies (business models, service offerings, innovation and differentiation opportunities).
- Sophisticated point of view on today's digitally disrupted business landscape and how the needs of CMOs are changing.
- Cross-functional influence, relationship building, and project management skills toward a broad constituency.
- Demonstrated ability to navigate senior stakeholders and work effectively in a matrixed environment with a collaborative working style.
About You
- An open and optimistic leader who values extraordinary work, ideas and people.
- Extremely strong conceptual thinker with an innate focus on the future and the ability to imagine what ‘could be’ vs. what exists today.
- High tolerance for ambiguity with the ability to focus and execute effectively in a fast-changing environment.
- A pro-active, lead-from-the-front attitude with a willingness to roll up your sleeves and deliver both as a sole contributor or as part of a team.
- Strong commercial acumen and negotiation abilities.
- An ambitious and highly-driven individual with high degrees of perseverance, determination and resilience.
What we'll give you
Passionate, driven people – We champion a culture of people that do extraordinary work.
Scale and opportunity – We offer the opportunity to create, influence and deliver projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry.
Challenging and stimulating work – Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of world-class technology and creative problem solvers.
Are you up for the challenge?
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WPP is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, military/veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion and strives to recruit a diverse slate of candidates to help us achieve that goal.
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Last updated on Aug 26, 2024