WPP plans to double its headcount in India in 5 years: CEO Mark Read, ETHRWorld

WPP, the world’s largest advertising holding company, plans to double its India business revenue in five years and hire 7,000 to 8,000 people, CEO Mark Read told ET.

India is currently the fastest-growing and the fifth-largest market globally for WPP, which recorded revenues of over $18 billion in 2022.

The advertising giant wants India to be among its top three markets worldwide in the next five years. “I have an ambition to double the size of the Indian business in the next five years, which will take it to be a top three market for WPP. India contributes close to 4-5% of our global business,” Read said.

“India is our fifth biggest market and has been our fastest growing market for the last decade, and there’s no reason to think it won’t be our fastest-growing market for the next decade,” he added. Besides aiming to double the size of the Indian business, the WPP chief also said that the company will double its headcount in the country over the next five years.

“That probably means we will hire 7,000 to 8,000 people over the next five years,” he stated. Currently, WPP employs 10,500 people in India and 115,000 globally. Read said the expansion of the Indian economy coupled with the rapid pace of digitisation and proliferation of new media channels are some of the factors that will drive…