MAM
WPP appoints Roberto Quarta as chairman-designate
MUMBAI: WPP plc has appointed Roberto Quarta to its board as a non-executive director and chairman-designate. He will join the board on 1 January 2015 and will offer himself for re-election at the company’s Annual General Meeting to be held in June 2015. Subject to his re-election, he will be appointed chairman to succeed Philip Lader, who joined the board as chairman in 2001.
Quarta is chairman of Smith & Nephew plc, a FTSE 100 global medical technology company, and chairman of IMI plc, a FTSE 250 engineering business. He is also a partner at the private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and a non-executive director at Spie SA. Previously, he was chief executive and then chairman of BBA Group plc, Rexel SA chairman and BAE Systems plc, Equant NV, Foster Wheeler AG and PowerGen plc non-executive director.
In the Company’s last Annual Report issued in April 2014, Lader announced his plan to step down as chairman at the close of 2014. The WPP board has requested that he continue until such time as Quarta steps down as Chairman of IMI plc.
Lader said, “Roberto brings to WPP extensive, diverse experience in corporate governance and global commerce. This completes our refreshment of the board, which over the last three years has seen the appointment of 10 internationally recognized business leaders from four continents and the phased retirement of long-serving directors.”
CEO Sir Martin Sorrell commented, “Following an exhaustive search, the Board has chosen Roberto to be its next Chairman, as his experience and background complement and will help develop WPP’s strategy in new markets, in new media, in data investment management and the application of technology and, last but not least, horizontality.”
Quarta commented, “It is a great honour to join the board of WPP, a global leader in its field and an outstanding success story in British business. I look forward to working with the Board to help the company as it continues to build leadership positions in the fast changing media markets.”
No disclosure obligations arise under paragraphs (1) to (6) of LR 9.6.13 R of the UK Listing Authority’s Listing Rules in respect of this appointment.
Full details of Quarta’s remuneration arrangements will be given in the Directors’ Remuneration Report 2014.
The transition in the chairman’s role will occur, if Quarta has resigned from the IMI board as anticipated, immediately at the close of WPP’s June AGM or thereafter upon such resignation.
Quarta will be appointed to serve as a member of the Nomination and Governance Committee and the Compensation Committee.
In the 14-year period Lader has served as chairman, WPP’s billings have grown from ?14 billion to ?46.2 billion, PBIT from ?378 million to ?1.583 billion, dividend per share from 3.75p to 34.21p, the dividend pay-out ratio from 13 per cent to 42 per cent. The shares have risen from 829p to 1313p, the market capitalisation from ?9.1 billion to ?17.3 billion and the number of employees (including associates) from 65,000 to 177,000.
Brands
Sony Pictures Networks India names Shruti Aneja as lead – agency partnerships & key network initiatives
Aneja takes charge to deepen agency ties and boost revenue across Spni channels
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has appointed Shruti Aneja as lead – agency partnerships, signalling a fresh focus on closer collaboration with advertising agencies and a sharper push for revenue growth across its channel portfolio.
In her new role, Aneja will chart strategic engagement with agencies, unlock new revenue streams, and nurture long-term partnerships. Her mission includes driving sales performance, adding value for clients, and delivering inventive solutions for advertisers — cementing Spni’s position as a preferred media partner.
Aneja brings over 12 years of experience with Spni, having risen through the ranks from manager to associate vice president. She has led high-performing sales teams across key clusters including sony hindi gec, free-to-air channels, and english entertainment channels like pix, axn and bbc earth.
Her track record includes driving integrated ad sales for popular shows such as Celebrity MasterChef, Indian Idol and Superstar Singer, pioneering first-time brand integrations, and repositioning channels for maximum impact in both urban and rural markets.
Aneja’s approach combines content-first thinking with solution-led selling, focusing on empathy, insight and storytelling that resonates with audiences and brands alike. Colleagues praise her knack for building trust with agencies and clients while spotting innovative ways to convert ideas into revenue.
With this appointment, Spni aims to strengthen its agency relationships and continue delivering compelling advertising solutions that combine creativity with performance.
