India is WPP's fifth-largest market: Mark Read - WPP CEO

The WPP Mumbai campus played host to its global CEO Mark Read, who's in India for a week-long visit. Read, along with India country manager CVL Srinivas, held a press conference to talk about where WPP stands today and its future plans.

Read, in his first-ever press conference in India, spoke about what the country means to WPP's global business, and the company's performance and plans ahead.

Talking about India's performance, Read gave a nod to the country's tech prowess and how it has stood out as a powerhouse. He disclosed that India is currently WPP's fifth-largest market.

He said creativity powered by technology is WPP's secret sauce, and that technology and creativity go hand in hand in making it a client-centric company.

During the conference, WPP's growth strategy was revealed, based on five aspects: client centricity, capability building with data and tech, talent and culture, efficient and nimble organisation, and sustainability and social impact.

There are plans to open the Gurugram office by the end of the year. WPP also wants to ensure that it becomes a plastic-free zone by 2020.

In a press release, Read also said, “Creativity powered by technology is critical to meeting client needs and the demands of a dynamic marketplace. Our investment in our campuses supports WPP’s new sense of purpose and enables us to instil a culture of creativity, collaboration and openness, while attracting and retaining the best people. India is very important for WPP, as one of our fastest-growing countries and a top-tier global market.”

Added Srinivas, “There is a real internal evolution that’s ongoing at WPP in India in the way that our teams work. Our teams are now better integrated and working in close alignment with our clients. We are reinventing ourselves to respond to structural changes in our market and to capture the new opportunities for growth. Beyond that, we are also excited about the work that we are doing in sustainability and social purpose.”