Beau Jackson
May 8, 2025

History of GroupM 2003-2025: The world's largest media investment arm

Campaign charts the WPP media arm's history amid ongoing change under global chief executive Brian Lesser.

GroupM was founded in 2003 as a merger between Mediaedge:CIA and MindShare Worldwide.
GroupM was founded in 2003 as a merger between Mediaedge:CIA and MindShare Worldwide.

Since joining in September 2024, GroupM global chief executive Brian Lesser has wasted no time in shaking up the WPP media arm's leadership and its structure in favour of becoming a "simpler" offer both internally and to clients.

He kicked off 2025 by axing global agency CEO roles at EssenceMediacom, Mindshare and Wavemaker and departures followed, among them former GroupM EMEA CEO Josh Krichefski. 

In May this was followed by Campaign learning of WPP's intent to drop the GroupM brand to become "WPP Media", and an internal memo sent by Lesser confirming that GroupM will be moving to “a single operating model” in which agency brands house dedicated client teams “but no longer operate as distinct business units."

As change rumbles on at GroupM, Campaign looks back at the media arm’s history.

 

 

 
Source:
Campaign UK

Related Articles

Just Published

1 hour ago

Why brands have to be out and proud about the planet

As the industry gears up for Cannes Lions, Paul Mottram urges brands across Asia to listen closely to consumer voices and respond decisively to the growing demands for action on climate change.

22 hours ago

Agency Report Cards 2024: We grade 25 APAC networks

The grades are in for Campaign Asia's 22nd annual evaluation of APAC agency networks. Subscribe to read our detailed analyses.

22 hours ago

GroupM restructures across Asia, Indonesia ...

Staffing cuts across Asia have begun as GroupM transitions to a “single operating model” under the soon-to-be-rebranded WPP Media banner.

23 hours ago

Agency Report Card 2024: DDB

A storied legacy weighed down by churn, uneven creative output, and account losses. As organisational change looms, DDB must reignite its creative firepower or risk fading behind siblings TBWA and BBDO.