Coca-Cola's CWS (Chemical, Commercial, and Operations Solutions) department head and Chief Marketing Officer, Laurent Ezekiel, has moved from WPP to Publicis.

Coca-Cola's CWS (Chemical, Commercial, and Operations Solutions) department head and Chief Marketing Officer, Laurent Ezekiel, has moved from WPP to Publicis.

In a surprising move, Laurent Ezekiel, the former Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and CEO of WPP's bespoke Coca-Cola agency, Open X, has decided to leave WPP and rejoin Publicis Groupe. The news was confirmed in an internal memo from Coca-Cola's Global CMO, Manuel Arroyo.

Ezekiel played a pivotal role at WPP, particularly in architecting Open X, a bespoke agency model designed to integrate creative, media, production, social, and influencer services under one agile team. This move comes as part of a wider trend of strategic account realignments, with Ezekiel's departure being closely related to recent major account shifts from WPP to Publicis.

In 2021, Coca-Cola consolidated its North American media business, valued at $700 million, by moving it from WPP to Publicis. Following that, Mars awarded its $1.7 billion global media account to Publicis, and Paramount also shifted its media business to the French holding company. Ezekiel's move to Publicis is seen as a reflection of significant competitive pressure and changing dynamics between the two agencies.

Despite Ezekiel's exit and these account losses, WPP remains publicly committed to its partnership with Coca-Cola. The company is undergoing leadership changes to stabilize itself amid profit warnings and reduced client spending earlier in the year. Notably, Mark Read, the longtime CEO of WPP, will step down in September, with Microsoft executive Cindy Rose set to replace him.

Coca-Cola, on the other hand, has praised initiatives such as StudioX, a hub that lets Coca-Cola create thousands of assets tailored for local markets. The company is working with WPP to identify a successor for Ezekiel at Open X.

The exact details of Ezekiel's new role at Publicis have not been disclosed. However, his return to Publicis after years at WPP highlights the intensifying rivalry in the advertising industry and aligns with Publicis's recent account gains from WPP clients.

[1] The Drum: Laurent Ezekiel to leave WPP's Open X [2] Ad Age: WPP issues shock profit warning [3] Campaign US: Coca-Cola consolidates North American media business with Publicis [5] The Drum: Mars and Paramount move media briefs from WPP to Publicis

1. Laurent Ezekiel's decision to rejoin Publicis Groupe, following his departure from WPP, is expected to significantly impact the business landscape, especially in the financial sector, as he will likely bring his expertise in integrating various services under one agile team to his new role.
2. Coca-Cola and WPP's business relationship is undergoing changes, with the former praising initiatives like StudioX, while simultaneously searching for a successor for Laurent Ezekiel at Open X. This transition indicates a shift in strategy, as major accounts have moved from WPP to Publicis, creating a competitive environment between the two advertising giants.

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