Associate Director - Client Services
About the job
- At least 6 years of experience in media strategy, planning, execution, or account planning.
- Experience making and presenting annual and quarterly media strategies and plans.
- Experience across various responsibilities within the media ecosystem, including knowledge of offline marketing.
- Knowledge of digital marketing is preferred.
- Working knowledge of TGI, BARC, MAP, and IRS tools.
- Knowledge of digital tools such as Comscore, Similarweb, and Google Trends is preferred.
- Ability to apply knowledge of clients’ businesses and challenges to formulate campaign strategies and recommendations.
- Ability to lead long-term and short-term media planning for clients.
- Understanding of agency functions, client working styles, client businesses, and business challenges.
- Data analytics, communication, logical reasoning, attention to detail, integrity, empathy, aptitude, and innovation skills.
- Lead the development of digital media strategies and oversee high-level client engagements.
- Drive strategic initiatives and ensure collaboration across all Strategic Units to deliver impactful media solutions and maintain smooth processes.
- Understand client working styles and deliver day-to-day requirements while building relationships with key decision-makers in the current pipeline.
- Build relationships with clients, internal and external stakeholders, and partners.
- Proactively drive business initiatives and respond to client requirements and briefs.
- Lead long-term and short-term media planning for clients.
- Provide insights into emerging media and technology to deliver innovative client solutions.
- Challenge briefs and evolve strategies to meet client key performance indicators and improve campaign performance.
- Ensure holistic thinking is incorporated across channel planning and that outcomes are measurable.
- Mentor teams and establish strong team and client relationships.
- Knowledge of digital marketing.
- Knowledge of digital tools such as Comscore, Similarweb, and Google Trends.
About the company
WPP Media is a global media services arm that manages more than $60 billion in annual advertising investments for leading brands. It operates across a network of established agencies (Mindshare, Wavemaker, EssenceMediacom) and combines media planning, data, production, and commerce through its proprietary WPP Open platform. Its Open Intelligence data model uses real-time behavioral signals to drive predictive, faster, and smarter marketing campaigns. The company positions itself as an AI-native media collective, consolidating capabilities under a single technology stack to improve efficiency and scale for advertisers. Its goal is to help clients buy and optimize media more effectively by leveraging integrated data, advanced analytics, and automated execution at scale.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
New York City, New York
Founded
2003
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- COMvergence ranked WPP Media first in H1 2026 new business with $5.2 billion.
- Google Earth AI integration into WPP Open deepens hyper-local predictive targeting.
- WPP Media clients won 47 Festival of Media awards in June 2026.
What critics are saying
- WPP's 2026 restructuring targets £500 million savings and more media job cuts.
- The FTC's April 2026 antitrust case keeps GroupM, Dentsu, and Publicis under scrutiny.
- Sindhuja Rai's September 2026 exit signals APAC leadership instability during a difficult turnaround.
What makes WPP Media unique
- WPP Media runs WPP Open, unifying media, data, and production across 75% advertisers.
- Open Intelligence trains on trillions of real-time signals across 350-plus data partners.
- Mindshare, Wavemaker, and EssenceMediacom preserve client teams while sharing one global technology stack.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Vision Insurance
Dental Insurance
Paid Time Off
Hybrid Work Options
Remote Work Options
401(k) Retirement Plan
Wellness Program
Mental Health Support
Paid Holidays
Paid Vacation
Gym Membership
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Employee Discounts
Employee Referral Bonus
Professional Development Budget
Conference Attendance Budget
Training Programs
Tuition Reimbursement
Professional Certification Support
Phone/Internet Stipend
Home Office Stipend
Parental Leave
Family Planning Benefits
Fertility Treatment Support
Adoption Assistance
Childcare Support
Sabbatical Leave
Relocation Assistance
Stock Options
Company Equity
Meal Benefits
Commuter Benefits
Legal Services
Mentorship Program
EssenceMediacom
Employee Discounts
Company News
Sindhuja Rai to exit WPP Media next month amid APAC leadership churn. Chief Client Officer, APAC, Rai has spent over three years with WPP, including stints as Wavemaker APAC CEO and in regional client leadership. Reading Time: 2 mins read Sindhuja Rai, Chief Client Officer, APAC at WPP Media, is set to leave the company next month after more than three years with the business. Confirming the development, a WPP Media spokesperson said: "Rai will be leaving the business next month. We're grateful for her contributions during her time with us and wish her all the very best for what's next." The company also clarified that Rai's departure is not part of any significant restructuring underway within the regional business. Her next move has not been announced. Rai took charge as chief client officer, APAC in June 2025, following the launch of WPP Media and a reshuffle of its regional leadership. Based in Singapore, she was responsible for strengthening client service across APAC, overseeing global and regional accounts and leading the client solutions team. Before moving into the role, Rai served as CEO of Wavemaker APAC from September 2023 to June 2025. She also held a regional client leadership position at WPP Media between October 2024 and June 2025. A 25-year career across client and agency sides. Rai joined WPP after 13 years at Mondelēz International, where she most recently served as senior director, global media investment and AMEA consumer experience. Her career at Mondelēz included regional roles spanning media, data, digital and consumer engagement across APAC, the Middle East and Africa. With more than 25 years of experience across agency and client-side organisations, Rai has held senior leadership roles covering media, marketing, client management and consumer strategy. Senior leadership moves reshape APAC business. Rai's exit comes amid a series of senior leadership changes across WPP Media's APAC operations. In Malaysia, former Carat Malaysia partner and head Vanitha Selvathurai recently joined WPP Media as vice president, clients, with a mandate focused on strengthening client leadership and partnerships. In Hong Kong, the agency created a new chief client and operating officer role and appointed Adrian Lee to the position. Reporting to Michael Beecroft, CEO, WPP Media North East Asia, and working alongside Silas Ho, Lee is responsible for client leadership and operational excellence in the market. Elsewhere in the region, Arshan Saha, formerly CEO of WPP Media for Singapore and Malaysia and head of media management and delivery for APMEA, recently joined Aleph as regional managing director, APAC. His remit covers operations across 15 markets and platform partnerships in the region. While WPP Media has ruled out a significant restructuring linked to Rai's departure, her exit adds to a period of continuing senior-level movement across the company's APAC leadership ranks.
WPP Media promotes Rishabh G. to Director, Ad Operations. WPP Media has promoted Rishabh G. to Director, Ad Operations, expanding his responsibilities within the media organization's advertising operations function. The promotion places Rishabh in a role focused on ad operations at a time when digital advertising workflows are becoming increasingly complex. Campaign execution now involves multiple platforms, formats, data systems, measurement requirements, and programmatic technologies, making operational coordination an important part of media delivery. Ad operations teams typically work across the technical and executional side of advertising campaigns, supporting areas such as campaign setup, trafficking, quality checks, delivery monitoring, troubleshooting, and performance coordination. The function also connects media planning and buying teams with the technology and platforms used to activate digital campaigns. Rishabh's move to the Director level comes as WPP Media continues to develop its broader media capabilities across data, technology, media management, and delivery. WPP Media's South Asia organization includes dedicated capabilities covering media management and delivery, data and technology consulting, and connected commerce. The wider advertising industry is also seeing changes in how ad operations teams work. Automation, artificial intelligence, privacy requirements, increasingly fragmented media environments, and the growing number of advertising platforms are changing campaign execution processes. For media organizations, these changes require closer coordination between people, technology, data, and operational workflows. Director-level ad operations roles therefore sit at an important intersection between campaign execution and the systems that support digital media delivery. Rishabh's promotion adds a senior responsibility to WPP Media's ad operations function as the company continues operating across an increasingly technology-driven advertising environment. The role reflects the expanding operational requirements involved in managing digital campaigns across multiple channels and platforms.
WPP Media appoints Laura Ryan as Chief Media Officer. Former Orion Worldwide Global CEO to oversee global investment, partnerships, media management and activation as WPP Media expands its media capabilities. Reading Time: 2 mins read WPP Media has appointed Laura Ryan as Chief Media Officer, bringing the former Global CEO of Orion Worldwide into the company's global leadership team as it looks to strengthen the integration of media, clients and technology. Ryan will oversee WPP Media's global investment, partnerships, media management and activation functions. In her new role, she will work closely with global client teams, technology leaders and partners to develop capabilities and products aimed at creating greater value for marketers and media partners. The appointment was announced by Brian Lesser, CEO, WPP Media, who said Ryan's experience in connecting client requirements with new capabilities would be important as the company enters its next phase of innovation across activation and investment. "Laura knows how to connect client needs with new capabilities and bring people together to make it happen," Lesser said in a LinkedIn post announcing the appointment. Ryan joins WPP Media from IPG, where she most recently served as Global CEO of Orion Worldwide, a position she held from April 2022 until June 2026. She joined Orion in March 2011 and spent more than 15 years with the organisation, progressing through senior leadership roles spanning client services, media, operations and product development. Before becoming Global CEO, Ryan served as Global President of Orion from January 2021 to April 2022. In that role, she was responsible for the company's overall direction, profitability and growth across 27 global markets, while also focusing on talent, culture, product development and leadership. Earlier, Ryan served as Global Client Officer at Orion, where she worked with client-service teams to identify challenges, develop solutions and drive results through the company's proprietary products. In May 2020, she also took on responsibility for expanding OPEN, Orion's addressable offering. Prior to that, Ryan was President, Orion U.S., where she led short- and long-term business strategies, contributing to consecutive years of revenue growth and increased profitability. She had earlier held positions including EVP, Director of Client and Media Services and SVP, Client Services. At WPP Media, Ryan will work alongside senior leaders including Adam Gerhart and Lauren Wetzel, as well as client and technology leaders across the business.
Laura Ryan joins WPP Media as Chief Media Officer. Laura Ryan joins WPP Media from IPG, where she served as Global CEO of Orion Worldwide. WPP Media has appointed Laura Ryan as Chief Media Officer. In her new role, Ryan will oversee the company's global investment, partnerships, media management and activation teams. She will also work with global client teams and the technology organisation to develop products aimed at creating value for marketers and partners. Ryan joins WPP Media from IPG, where she served as Global CEO of Orion Worldwide. She brings more than three decades of experience across client leadership, product innovation, operational transformation and talent development.
WPP Media Sri Lanka celebrates landmark night at SLIM Digis 2.6 Awards. WPP Media Sri Lanka's clients, including Unilever, Ceylon Cold Stores PLC and Hatton National Bank (HNB), have been recognized across multiple categories at the SLIM Digis 2.6 Awards for campaigns spanning personal care, food and beverages, banking and purpose-led communications. Unilever was among the highest winners, with 15 awards across its portfolio of brands. Silver honours included Closeup's Breaking Barriers Across Every Medium, Pond's Make It 98% More Fun with SPF and Sunsilk's Awul Unath Awulak Na, which was recognised in both the Best Use of Creators/Influencers and Best Campaign - Personal Care categories. The portfolio also received Bronze recognition for Glow & Lovely's It's a Purple for Nallur, Pond's Love at First Try, Marmite's EAT, REACT, REPEAT and Knorr's Every Iftar. Merit recognitions across Sunlight, Comfort, Pond's and Viva further reflected the breadth of digital work delivered across creator content, experiential amplification, digital launches and seasonal campaigns. Ceylon Cold Stores PLC was recognised for two campaigns. Elephant House Beverages' Avuruddhe Ape Sadde won in the Best Use of Experiential & On-Ground Digital Amplification category, while EGB's Kema Kalawa received two honours in the same category and the FMCG - Food & Beverage Brands category. HNB was recognised for its purpose-led digital storytelling, with Nena Savi Mehewara winning in the CSR Purpose Driven category and Gaweshanayaka Mudrawa receiving recognition in the Banking, Finance and Insurance category. "These recognitions reflect what can be achieved when strong client partnerships, meaningful insights and culturally relevant ideas come together," said Priti Murthy President Client Solutions, WPP Media South Asia. "We congratulate our clients and teams whose collaboration and commitment have brought these campaigns to life." The SLIM Digis 2.6 Awards, themed Mission to Extraordinary, recognise innovation and excellence in Sri Lanka's digital marketing landscape. About WPP Media: WPP Media is WPP's global media collective. In a world where media is everywhere and in everything, Dailymirror bring the best platform, people, and partners together to create limitless opportunities for growth. For more information, visit wppmedia.com. WPP Media is part of WPP, the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. Powered by exceptional talent and its agentic marketing platform WPP Open, WPP unites cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, creativity, production, enterprise solutions, and expert strategic counsel.