WPP Scangroup, a leading marketing and communications group in Sub-Saharan Africa with agencies across multiple disciplines, has confirmed the appointment of Kenyan business executive Patricia Ithau as the group’s new CEO.
Ithau is a highly accomplished business and marketing leader with more than 25 years of senior leadership experience at companies such as Unilever, Diageo/East African Breweries Limited, and L’Oreal. She was previously a non-executive director on the board of WPP Scangroup from 2017 to 2020.
In addition to being a trustee on the boards of Vodafone Foundation UK and M-Pesa Foundation, Patricia serves on the boards of ABSA Bank Kenya PLC, TradeMark East Africa Limited, Jambojet Limited and the British Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Her appointment comes nearly a year after Bharat Thakrar, the Kenyan advertising mogul who founded WPPScangroup in 1982, stepped down as the CEO, a board member and a director in the group’s subsidiaries and affiliates.
Allegations of gross misconduct and potential offenses in his capacity as a senior executive and employee of the firm prompted his departure from the group.
Richard Omwela, chairman of WPP Scangroup, commented on the appointment, stating that Ithau is an inspirational business leader in Kenya and beyond, and her addition aligns with the group’s strategic plans to put WPP Scangroup on the path of sustainable growth.
“She has extensive experience with transformational change that results in long-term business growth, as well as an inclusive leadership approach that will support our people as they create extraordinary work for our clients,” he added.
In reaction to the announcement, shares in the leading marketing and communication group were trading at Ksh4.24 ($0.0373) on the Nairobi Stock Exchange, 24 basis points higher than their opening price on the local bourse.
WPP Scangroup’s market capitalization is Ksh1.8 billion ($15.8 million) as of the time of the writing of this report.
