MAM
WPP names Microsoft executive Cindy Rose as new chief executive
MUMBAI: WPP today announced a significant leadership change, appointing Cindy Rose as its new chief executive officer, effective 1 September 2025. She will succeed Mark Read, who steps down on the same date after a 30-year tenure with the company, including seven years as CEO. Read will assist Rose with the transition until the end of the year.
Rose brings extensive experience from the technology, telecommunications, media, entertainment, and creative industries. For the past nine years, she has held senior leadership roles at Microsoft, most recently as chief operating officer, global enterprise, where she focused on leveraging digital technology and AI for business transformation. Before this, she served as president of Microsoft Western Europe and CEO of Microsoft UK.
Her impressive career also includes leadership positions at Vodafone (managing director, UK consumer
business) and Virgin Media (executive director, digital entertainment and media sales). She spent 15 years at The Walt Disney Co, culminating as senior vice president and managing director of Disney Interactive Media Group, EMEA.
Rose has been a non-executive director on the WPP board since 2019, giving her an intimate understanding of the company’s operations. An alumna of Columbia University and New York Law School, she also serves as an advisory board member at Imperial College Business School and McLaren Racing. Holding both British and American citizenship, she will split her time between London and New York. In recognition of her services to UK technology, she was awarded an OBE in the 2019 New Year Honours.
WPP chair Philip Jansen said:
“Cindy is an outstanding and inspirational business leader with extensive experience at some of the world’s most recognised companies and a track record of growing large-scale businesses. She has led multi-billion-dollar operations across the UK, EMEA and globally, built enduring client relationships and delivered growth in both enterprise and consumer environments.
“Cindy has supported the digital transformation of large enterprises around the world – including embracing AI to create new customer experiences, business models and revenue streams. Her expertise in this landscape will be hugely valuable to WPP as the industry navigates fundamental changes and macroeconomic uncertainty. Cindy’s appointment follows a thorough selection process that considered both internal and external candidates. As an existing Board member she understands our business and the needs of our clients, and we look forward to working with her in her new role as CEO.
“As he hands over to Cindy, I would like to reiterate my sincere thanks to Mark for his tireless commitment during more than 30 years with WPP and in particular the progress he has made to modernise, simplify and transform the company over the last seven years as CEO. On behalf of the Board and the company as a whole I wish him all the very best for the future.”
Rose expressed her excitement about returning to the creative industries.
She said: “WPP is a company I know and love – not only from my six years on the Board but as a client and partner for many years before that – and I couldn’t be happier or more excited to be appointed as CEO. I began my career in the creative industries and this feels like coming home.
“There are so many opportunities ahead for WPP. We have and continue to build market-leading AI capabilities, alongside an unrivalled reputation for creative excellence and a preeminent client list. WPP has the most brilliant, talented, creative people and I can’t wait to write the company’s next chapter together.
“I am grateful to Mark for his many contributions to the business over the years and I look forward to working together to ensure a smooth handover.”
Mark Read said:
“Having worked closely with Cindy for the last six years, I am delighted to see her appointed as CEO of WPP. From her time on the Board, she has real insight into our business and knows many of our clients, people and partners around the world.
“She brings deep experience of technology and AI and its transformational impact on business, and has successfully run large global organisations with talent at their core. After seven years as CEO, I know that I am leaving WPP in excellent hands.”
MAM
Ajio launches Dhurandhar merchandise collection with Jio Studios
Limited edition range inspired by the film starts at Rs 349 on Ajio.
MUMBAI: When cinema meets the wardrobe, fandom doesn’t just stay on the screen, it walks out onto the street. Ajio, India’s fashion e-commerce platform, has launched an exclusive merchandise collection inspired by the spy-action film Dhurandhar, extending the film’s bold on-screen personality into everyday fashion.
The limited-edition range has been created in collaboration with Jio Studios and features graphic driven apparel and statement silhouettes that draw directly from the film’s high-energy aesthetic and characters.
Designed to appeal to both movie fans and style conscious shoppers, the collection translates the cinematic swagger of Dhurandhar into wearable fashion pieces starting at Rs 349.
The collection includes graphic T-shirts featuring iconic movie quotes, signature tees inspired by actor Ranveer Singh and limited-edition signed Pathani outfits that echo the larger-than-life style associated with the film’s characters.
Also part of the line-up is a collection inspired by Sara Arjun, translating her on-screen styling into contemporary silhouettes designed to appeal to younger audiences and fashion forward fans.
With bold typography, statement graphics and confident tailoring, the range blends cinematic storytelling with streetwear aesthetics, turning the film’s cultural energy into a fashion statement.
The collaboration reflects Ajio’s growing strategy of using fashion collaborations to tap into pop culture moments and entertainment properties.
By bringing elements of popular films into apparel, the platform allows audiences to move beyond simply watching a film and instead wear their fandom, making cinema part of everyday style.
Produced by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, Dhurandhar has emerged as one of the most talked-about action thrillers in recent times, known for its high-octane storytelling and larger-than-life characters.
The film, written and directed by Aditya Dhar, is also set to expand into a franchise, with the sequel “Dhurandhar: The Revenge” scheduled to release in theatres worldwide on March 19, 2026.
By launching the merchandise collection ahead of the sequel, Ajio and the film’s producers are extending the film’s universe into fashion, giving fans another way to connect with the story and its characters.
The Dhurandhar merchandise collection is now available exclusively on Ajio, bringing cinematic attitude, bold graphics and spy-thriller swagger straight into the wardrobes of fans.
