Martin Sorrell calls WPP ‘catatonic’ as Goldman slaps sell rating on its own client Media Sir Martin Sorrell spent 33 years turning WPP from a small Kent-based wire and plastics manufacturer into the world’s largest ad company. He left in 2018 following a dispute over personal conduct that he has consistently denied, and has been a vocal critic of his successors ever since. “I think they are further gone than [...]
Martin Sorrell’s S4 Capital confirms merger talks Media S4 Capital has confirmed it has received a proposal from MSQ Partners for a possible combination, following weekend media reports linking the London-listed digital advertising group to the US private equity-backed agency network. In a statement published on Monday, the company said the talks were “at a very preliminary stage” and stressed there was “no [...]
Wealth tax: City bosses warn Labour of entrepreneur exodus Politics A wealth tax would spark a fresh exodus of entrepreneurs from the UK, according to City grandees as calls mount from within Labour to explore the policy. Sir Martin Sorrell, Sir Rocco Forte and Sir Philip Hampton warned in The Telegraph that business owners could flee Britain en masse. Hotelier Sir Rocco said: “Labour has [...]
Sir Martin Sorrell: Clients ‘cautious’ as S4 Capital’s income tumbles May 8, 2025 S4 Capital, Sir Martin Sorrell’s advertising giant, recorded a sharp drop in revenue in its first-quarter trading update as geopolitical tensions weighed. The firm posted a 11.4 per cent slump in net revenue to £148.3m, which it said reflected the “continuing technology client caution” and headwinds from one “key client”. Takings from marketing services reduced [...]
Martin Sorrell’s S4 Capital warns of tariff uncertainty March 24, 2025 Sir Martin Sorrell has warned S4 Capital will feel the weight of global macroeconomic volatility into 2025 as losses at the London-listed marketing group widened significantly. In a statement, Sorrell cited continued high interest rates and underperformance and warned of “uncertainty in global economic policy, particularly tariffs” into 2025. He added that geopolitical volatility stemming [...]
‘It’s caused uproar’: Inside the fallout from WPP’s four-day office week mandate January 20, 2025 Earlier this month, WPP’s Mark Read sent an all-staff memo ordering employees back into the office for four days a week. With staff fearing an exodus of talent and a petition calling on the policy to be revoked, reaching nearly 20,000 signatures, Ali Lyon tells the inside story of a firm known for its brand [...]
S4 Capital: Sir Martin Sorrell’s ad giant loses its CFO January 9, 2025 S4 Capital, the ad giant run by Sir Martin Sorrell, is set to lose its chief financial officer Mary Basterfield. Basterfield has been CFO of S4 Capital since January 2022, having previously worked as CFO of Warner Music Group and UKTV, as well as group finance director of Just Eat. She has a twelve month [...]
Sir Martin Sorrell: Tax hikes risk hurting UK productivity October 29, 2024 The government’s potential tax hikes and changes to investment relief could drive capital abroad, discourage hiring and stymie productivity, former WPP chief Sir Martin Sorrell has warned ahead of tomorrow’s Autumn Statement.
S4 Capital: Revenue down and debt up at Sir Martin Sorrell’s ad giant September 19, 2024 Sir Martin Sorrell’s S4 Capital’s post-pandemic struggles have carried through into its latest results, which revealed a sharp decline in revenue and ballooning debt. The London-listed media holding group, which ad guru Sorrell founded after a sudden exit from WPP in 2018, saw its net revenue reduce by 15.6 per cent from £445.5m to £375.1m [...]
Sir Martin Sorrell: Labour’s working week reforms won’t help firms September 17, 2024 British businessman Sir Martin Sorrell has said that altering the working week will not boost productivity in the UK, pushing back on Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pledges to transform Britain’s work culture.