Mark Read

Mark Read is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at WPP, the world's largest advertising holding company, a role that Read was appointed to in September of 2018. From April to September of that same year, Read served as WPP's Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Prior to beginning in his new role at WPP, Read served as Global CEO of Wunderman starting in January 2015 after 12 years at parent company WPP, including nine years as an Executive Director of WPP plc. As Head of Digital Strategy and then CEO of WPP Digital, Read was responsible for the Group’s digital development, including the move into technology through the acquisition of 24/7 Real Media and the creation of POSSIBLE and Stream. Wired ranked him as one of the Top 25 Digital Influencers in Europe in 2014, he was named Dadi Individual of the Year in 2015 and in 2016 was named one of the 25 most influential individuals in UK digital by The Drum.

Earlier in his career, Read founded and developed WebRewards, a U.K. startup that was sold to Bertelsmann in 2001. He also specialized in the media and marketing industries as a principal at Booz Allen & Hamilton. He started his career at the WPP parent company working on corporate development.

Read holds an MBA from INSEAD, a master's degree in economics from Cambridge University, and he was a Henry Fellow at Harvard University. He is the Chairman of the Natural History Museum Digital Council.