AD Agencies
The Water Sustainability Score launched at COP28
Mumbai: COP28 launched The International Water Sustainability Coalition, a joint initiative of AquaKraft Group Ventures (www.aquakraft.net) Leo Burnett India (www.leoburnett.com) & UAE based Quazar Investments (www.quazarinvestment.com) to address the burgeoning need of water sustainability & water security in the world.
The International Water Sustainability Coalition is to develop a coalition of Water Conscious enterprises, governments & enablers committed to water stewardship & sustainability. The coalition, first of its kind in the region, will address the unique challenges and characteristics of water resources by getting countries to commit to international collaboration and cooperation to make equitable access and distribution of water for society a reality by 2050.The stakeholders joining the coalition will be incentivized for their sustainability by AquaKredits – Water Credits on AquaKraft’s AqVerium – World’s 1st Digital Water Bank and ranked with a Water Sustainability Score (WSS) developed jointly by Leo Burnett India and AqVerium. The coalition will also drive green & sustainable solutions for managing the world’s precious resource, WATER.
Speaking on the occasion, Publicis Groupe CCO South Asia & Leo Burnett chairman Rajdeepak Das said, “At Burnett we believe that creativity’s true power is to impact a billion. The looming water crisis demands immediate attention and by adopting the Water Sustainability Score – a first of its kind report card on how water positive a brand really is, can bring transparency and accountability in the indiscriminate use of water. The water sustainability score will help corporates to be more responsible and will give the consumers to choose the right product. When initiatives like the Water Sustainability Score are embraced It’s a win – win for both People & Planet. When more corporations and countries engage in these discussions, the greater the impact becomes because sometimes a small act goes a long way.”
“Leo Burnett operating in several other countries have joined the coalition with a commitment to influence and drive their customers to subscribe and practice water sustainability. Meraki Digital (www.merakidigital.co.in) – a planet positive communications agency dedicated to climate action has joined the coalition. The coalition will drive the “Blue Taxonomy” jointly being developed by AquaKraft and Frost & Sullivan, UK.” said The International Water Sustainability Coalition convenor Sami Souissi.
Speaking on the occasion, Quazar Investment CEO Waleed Khalid Al Ali said, “It is a very momentous occasion for UAE to host The International Water Sustainability Coalition and Quazar is very proud to be a part of it. We invite all the stakeholders across the world to join this coalition and aim to sign an The International Water Treaty on UN World Water Day 2024 in Dubai. We are also very happy to announce our investment in the joint venture, AquaKraft BlueTech Solutions LLC, which will address the water & food security in UAE and Middle East, and work with all stakeholders in achieving The UAE Water Security Strategy 2036. We are very impressed with Dr. Subramanya’s vision and together we will make the world water positive.”
AquaKraft BlueTech Solutions LLC., U.A.E., will leverage the collective philosophies & strengths of AquaKraft Group Ventures & Quazar Investment and is poised to redefine the “Circular Water Sustainability” with its latest innovation Sustainable AquAgro Circular Economy.
“A lot has been spoken about climate action & resilience but Water which is core to sustainability has been clearly missing the narrative. It is a proud moment for us to launch The International Water Sustainability Coalition along with congruent minded partners, Leo Burnett India and Quazar Investments. We are equally excited with our partnership with Quazar as both our philosophies are congruent towards sustainable impact and together we will drive the water sustainability narrative across the middle east which is by far the most water bereft regions of the world. Our objective is to treat over ten billion litres of water in UAE and extrapolate this model across the Middle East capturing significant share in over USD 50 billion and growing water opportunity in the next 3 years,” said AquaKraft Group Ventures founder chairman & CEO Dr.Subramanya Kusnur.
AquaKraft BlueTech will implement AquaKraft’s AqVerium (www.aqverium.com) – World’s 1st Digital Water Bank which will audit, verify & validate water use and efficiency data, incentivize water positivity with AquaKredits – Water Credits and provide and digital marketplace to offset water deficit by buying AquaKredits. It will also provide a platform to sell recycled sewage water for agriculture by water conscious stakeholders.
Quazar Investments CFO Sameer Salgar added “Quazar has incubated the joint venture with an investment of USD 9 million and we are very bullish about potential and growth. We are very impressed with the vision and legacy of AquaKraft as they address complex challenges in the highly unstructured water markets across the world. Their understanding of grass root problems in every geography and curation of simple & customized solutions make them stand differently from all in the space. One of our major focus areas will be creating the world’s 1st WATER EXCHANGE which will revolutionise the global Water Market.”
AD Agencies
WPP to cut jobs in £500m restructuring drive as revenue drops 8.1 per cent
CEO outlines reset after 30.1 percent profit decline
LONDON: WPP has signalled further job cuts as it embarks on a multi-year restructuring aimed at simplifying its sprawl, hardwiring artificial intelligence into its services and hauling profitability back on course.
The UK-listed advertising group will fold itself into a single integrated company structured around four divisions: WPP Creative, WPP Media, WPP Production and WPP Enterprise Solutions, under a plan to deliver £500 million in gross annual cost savings by 2028.
On the fourth-quarter earnings call, chief financial officer Joanne Wilson said the arithmetic was unavoidable. “In a business where most of our cost savings are people, that will mean a reduction of certain heads,” she said, adding that the group would reinvest in newer capabilities such as commerce, influencer marketing and advanced analytics.
The shift reflects a deeper rewiring. As AI becomes embedded in client workflows, the skills mix across the company is changing. Some roles will go; others will be created. “We will be reallocating talent around the business,” Wilson said, noting fresh hiring in data, technology and performance marketing.
Chief executive officer Cindy Rose said WPP was expanding internal training, including AI coaching and creative-technology apprenticeships, and embedding engineers from technology partners into client teams. Continuous reskilling, she argued, is central to staying competitive.
The urgency is financial. Revenue fell 8.1 per cent to £13.55 billion in 2025, while profit after tax dropped 30.1 per cent to £738 million. Staff costs, including severance and incentives, declined by £576 million as permanent headcount shrank 8.7 per cent and freelance spending fell 14 per cent.
Wilson warned that net new business headwinds would likely persist into the first half of 2026, citing cautious client spending and volatile marketing budgets.
On Thursday, WPP formally launched ‘Elevate 28’ a strategic programme to integrate media, creative, production and enterprise services, lower the cost base and improve cash generation.
Rose said 2026 would be about stabilising net new business performance. By 2027, a revamped go-to-market model should be fully embedded, paving the way for a return to growth. From 2028 onwards, WPP hopes to operate as a leaner, AI-enabled outfit with fatter margins: smaller, sharper and more machine-driven.
