Laurent Ezekiel Leaves WPP to Rejoin Publicis Groupe, Marking Major Industry Move

Laurent Ezekiel, WPP’s former CMO and CEO of OpenX, has left the British agency group to rejoin Publicis Groupe. Discover why this leadership shift and major client transitions signal a pivotal moment for the global advertising industry in 2025.

WPP‘s Chief Marketing Officer and CEO of OpenX, the custom marketing division created for The Coca-Cola Company, Laurent Ezekiel, has announced that he is leaving the British advertising behemoth to rejoin Publicis Groupe, a rival in France. His departure underscores ongoing changes amongst major agency holding companies and represents a pivotal moment in the changing landscape of the advertising industry.

After joining WPP in 2019, Ezekiel made a significant contribution by assisting in the 2021 acquisition of Coca-Cola’s highly sought-after global integrated marketing account. With Ezekiel at the helm, this victory resulted in the creation of WPP OpenX, a distinctive agency that combines production, media, and creative teams to serve Coca-Cola holistically. He held senior leadership positions at Publicis Groupe for 16 years prior to joining WPP, including head of major client relationships and president of Digitas North America.

The timing of Ezekiel’s move aligns with significant changes in client portfolios in 2025, Paramount‘s marketing responsibilities will transfer to Publicis, Coca-Cola’s $700 million North American media business, and Mars’s $1.7 billion media account. In the fiercely competitive agency industry, leadership talent frequently follows key accounts, as demonstrated by Ezekiel’s return, which coincides with these strategic client movements.

WPP has taken significant steps to revitalize itself, appointing Microsoft executive Cindy Rose as its new CEO in July 2025, despite its challenges, including a recently downgraded profit forecast brought on by slower client spending and fewer new business wins. Mark Read, the long-time chief, announced his retirement earlier this year, and Rose takes over.

Repurchasing Ezekiel is a significant asset for Publicis, which seeks to expand its integrated marketing capabilities and spur innovation in a rapidly evolving industry. Ezekiel’s proficiency in digital transformation and custom client solutions will be essential to enhancing Publicis’s competitive advantage.

This action highlights broader industry realignments and marks a new era of client reorganization and leadership among the leading advertising groups in the world.