Jens Monsees steps down as WPP AUNZ boss as structural changes begin

News 21 May 2021 - 2 min read

Jens Monsees steps down as WPP AUNZ boss as structural changes begin

By Josh McDonnell - Senior Writer

Following months of speculation, WPP AUNZ boss Jen Monsees has stepped down, marking the first step in the company's transition in a part of the wider global business.

Market Voice 3 min read

Retail media: Key lessons to avoid repeating programmatic ‘gold rush’ mistakes, hollowing out brand budgets

By Rory Heffernan - Chief Executive Officer, Atomic 212º | Partner Content

Retail media’s rise comes as marketers are being told to do even more with even less, says Atomic 212º Chief Executive Officer, Rory Heffernan, and puts brand budgets under further pressure.

Market Voice 4 min read

Airports are back bigger and better: why they are the next frontier for incredibly human brand connection

By Jemma Enright - General Manager, Airport, JCDecaux ANZ | Partner Content

In the next 5 years, brands will be reaching 85m passengers a year in the transformed terminals of Sydney, Adelaide, and Perth airports. That’s a massive opportunity to engage an emotionally charged audience in a context of curiosity and discovery, says JCDecaux’s Jemma Enright.

Market Voice 3 min read

The best relationships are personal – regional strategies should be too

By Phil Leyshon - Director of Digital, ACM | Partner Content

Mi3 sat down with ACM Director of Digital Phil Leyshon to discuss how first party data and enriched targeting is bringing brands closer to the regions – and notching upwards of 30 per cent growth.

Tags: Jens Monsees WPP AUNZ WPP PLC Mark Read

WPP AUNZ CEO Jens Monsees has stepped down following the global take over of the business and this week's delisting from the ASX. The next step is how WPP structures its now fully-owned local business' leadership.

What you need to know:

WPP AUNZ boss Jens Monsees has stepped down.
The move follows the global take over by the holding group earlier this year, signalling the first stage of transition plans.
WPP may now choose to create a Country Manager role overseeing both WPP and GroupM, in line with global templates.

WPP AUNZ CEO Jens Monsees has stepped down as the holding group transitions from a public company to a fully integrated region within WPP PLC.

His decision follows the completion this week of a Scheme of Arrangement that made WPP the sole shareholder of WPP AUNZ, which was subsequently delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange.

Monsees joined the business in October 2019. He was tasked with transforming the company, bolstering its capabilities in experience, commerce, data and technology while cutting costs and driving profit.

No mean feat and Monsees time at the business has not been without is challenges. He has consistently batted away complaints about his reforms and management style, dismissing them as sour grapes "from people who are leaving the business."

A new WPP leader will be appointed and in the interim the business will be led by the agency brand leaders, supported by WPP AUNZ Chief Financial Officer Chris Rollinson and other members of the central team, through an executive committee chaired by WPP Chief Operating Officer Andrew Scott.

“Jens has made a major contribution to WPP AUNZ during his time with the company. Despite the unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, he has delivered significant progress in transforming WPP’s business in Australia and New Zealand, which is very well positioned for the future," Mark Read, Chief Executive Officer of WPP, said.

This week, Mi3 reported on the possibility that the search for a new GroupM CEO could include oversight of WPP, in a Country Manager capacity.

The structure exists in other markets: Karen Blackett is WPP UK’s first Country Manager for the region and last year became its CEO for GroupM.

“I am very proud of what we have achieved together as one team, leaving WPP AUNZ as a more future-proof, growing and performing business. I am leaving many great colleagues behind," Monsees said.

"The strategic progress we accomplished and the strong financial turnaround we achieved are testament to the great collaboration of our people across the business and their ongoing commitment to serving our clients."

Monsees' next move is unclear, however he has expressed a keen interest in staying in Australia.