Managing Director

London, England, United Kingdom

12/17/2024

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients, and communities.

Working at WPP means being part of a global network of more than 115,000 accomplished people in 110 countries. WPP has headquarters in New York, London and Singapore and a corporate presence in major markets worldwide.

We create transformative ideas and outcomes for our clients through an integrated offer of communications, experience, commerce, and technology.

WPP and our award-winning agencies work with most of the world's biggest companies and organisations – from Ford, Unilever and P&G to Google, HSBC, and the UN. Our clients include 61 of the FTSE 100, 307 of the Fortune Global 500, all 30 of the Dow Jones 30 and 62 of the NASDAQ 100. WPP are the leader in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index and 20th in the FTSE 100 rankings for Women on Boards.

AKQA - Managing Director

At AKQA we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to create beautiful ideas, products and services. With an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, we design adaptive digital services and applications that capture the imagination, delivering impressive returns for our clients.

We partner with our clients to create a better future, through world-leading work, constant innovation and care.

The Managing Director is responsible for developing and driving the studio's overall strategy, fostering creative excellence, and delivering commercial growth. The role will cultivate a safe, inclusive, and collaborative environment where everyone is valued, respected, and empowered to deliver their best work.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute strategic plans for the studio.
• Strategise growth with existing clients and lead new business initiatives to win new clients.
• Build and nurture strong relationships with key client stakeholders, becoming a trusted advisor and partner.
• Drive the studio's revenue growth, profit margin, staff utilisation, and billability targets.
• Cultivate a positive, supportive, and inspiring work environment where team members feel valued, respected, and empowered to thrive.
• Inspire the team to develop purposeful, pioneering work for our clients, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and innovation.
• Mentor and coach team members, providing regular feedback and development opportunities to enhance skills and expertise.
• Oversee budgets, forecast accurately, and analyse financial data to identify growth opportunities and mitigate risks.
• Provide clear direction, set challenging goals, and empower the team to reach their full potential.
• Collaborate with the regional leadership to increase revenue, share best practices, and align on strategic initiatives.
• Work closely with the regional leadership to deliver AKQA global ambitions.
  
  

Skills & Qualifications:

• Strategic Sensibility: A proven hands-on leader with applied examples
• Commercial Acumen: Ability to forecast, plan and track. Ability to balance growth with service.
• Emerging Design & Technology Knowledge: Stay ahead of industry trends and possess a deep understanding of emerging technologies to guide clients towards cutting-edge solutions.
• Leadership Attitude: Lead by example inspiring teams to excel and surpass expectations.
• Hands-on Service: Comfortable getting into the details when necessary, ensuring a deep understanding of project requirements and the ability to contribute directly to the creative process.
• Industry Knowledge: Understanding of creative services, marketing and/or product experiences. Understanding of best-in-class, proof of being able to elevate the experiences and products made / sold in service of moving the brand or business forward.
  
  

AKQA is an Equal Opportunities Employer, we believe that diversity is vital to AKQA’s ability to provide our clients with the best recommendations and are committed to fostering a varied and inclusive work environment. Your race, colour, ancestry, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or veteran status have no bearing on our hiring decisions. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

WPP is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, military/veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion and strives to recruit a diverse slate of candidates to help us achieve that goal.

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