WPP Creates AKQA Group
November 11 2020 - 11:27AM
Business Wire
AKQA and Grey launch new network model –
industry powerhouse offers clients outstanding creativity,
innovation and brand-building at global scale
WPP’s AKQA and Grey are uniting to form a new network model,
AKQA Group. Grey is renowned for creative storytelling and global
brand-building at scale, while AKQA is celebrated for its
world-class innovation and experience design skills. With
heightened demand for digital transformation and technology-driven
capabilities, the combination will create a powerful new
proposition for clients as a leading creative solutions company
with a worldwide footprint.
The AKQA Group will have 6,000 people in more than 50 countries
and a blue-chip client roster that includes more than half of the
Fortune 500’s top 20. It will provide a full range of brand
experience capabilities across all communications platforms,
strengthening the skills and services of both companies for
clients.
AKQA founder Ajaz Ahmed and Grey Worldwide CEO Michael Houston
will partner to lead the new Group. Ahmed will become Chief
Executive Officer and Houston will become Global President and
Chief Operating Officer of AKQA Group. The AKQA Group will launch
with the AKQA and Grey brands, which will be integrated over time
into a single company based on client and market needs. The
management team and creative leadership will be announced in the
coming weeks, comprising leaders from AKQA and Grey.
AKQA and Grey have highly compatible creative cultures and share
a common belief in the power of creativity. Between them they have
won nearly 600 Cannes Lions in the last decade. The two agencies
have complementary, non-competitive client rosters. The combined
AKQA Group will have expertise in the media, entertainment and
technology sectors as well as packaged goods, healthcare and
financial services.
Ajaz Ahmed said: “Our goal is to expand horizons,
combining the curiosity, ambition, imagination and pioneering
spirit of a startup with the reach of a global enterprise. This is
an unparalleled opportunity for AKQA and Grey to bring our shared
assets to life into a modern, creatively-led company, building upon
our inspiring and useful work to create value for our clients,
people and communities.”
Michael Houston said: “This exciting new partnership
begins with what consumers expect, clients value, and brands need.
Forming a new company that can deliver culture-driving ideas
through technology at speed and scale is a potent proposition for
our clients, large and small, and will allow us to offer the most
powerful creative solutions in the industry.”
Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: “Our clients want
outstanding creativity, powered by technology expertise and
delivered at a global scale. This new company is designed precisely
to meet those needs and is another important step forward in
building our future-facing offer for clients.”
Grey, named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, is
trusted globally by clients from the fastest-growing startups to
leading multinationals and government agencies. Over the past five
years, the agency has received top industry accolades for creative
effectiveness, including: Adweek Global Agency of the Year (twice),
the Grand Effie, Effie Agency of the Year, and Cannes Lions
International Festival of Creativity Agency of the Year with 395
Cannes Lions. Grey’s growing global Health & Wellness practice
counts many of the world’s largest pharma and health-related
companies as clients.
AKQA, recognised as a digital pioneer and a creative innovator,
has won over 60 Agency of the Year awards; led Gartner’s
independent evaluation of Global Marketing Agencies for three years
in succession; led IDC’s quantitative and qualitative assessment of
success in Customer Experience Design; won two Grand Prix at the
most recent Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity; been
named by Fast Company as a Best Workplace for Innovators; and
achieved a consistent track record of growth since its
founding.
The move follows the successful combination of other WPP
agencies to create Wunderman Thompson, VMLY&R and BCW, which
have been among WPP’s best-performing companies by addressing
client needs for more integrated, creative and technology-driven
solutions.
About WPP
WPP is a creative transformation company. We use the power of
creativity to build better futures for our people, clients and
communities. For more information, visit www.wpp.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201111005668/en/
Chris Wade, WPP chris.wade@wpp.com +44 (0)20 7282 4600
Sam Kelly, AKQA sam@akqa.com +44 (0)7878 021861
Owen J. Dougherty, Grey owen.dougherty@grey.com +1 212 535
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