Five Reasons Why...Grey Is Aligning With Ogilvy

WPP is aligning Grey with Ogilvy, shifting the network away from the AKQA Group - while maintaining Grey as an independent agency brand. For marketers navigating increasingly complex demands, it’s a sign of how modern creative networks are being restructured to serve clients with more clarity, scale, and precision.

According to Ogilvy’s global CEO Devika Bulchandani: "I am confident that this move will strengthen both Grey and Ogilvy, allowing us to use our collective capabilities and deliver even more impactful solutions for our clients. Together, we will continue to redefine the boundaries of creativity and effectiveness in our industry."

The move will see Grey retain its independence and identity as a standalone agency brand, but with Grey's global CEO Laura Maness now reporting directly to Bulchandani. And Grey will now report financially into Ogilvy - adopting the same structure used by DAVID, INGO and New Commercial Arts (NCA), which operate with standalone P&Ls but roll up into Ogilvy for group reporting purposes. The model offers autonomy to all the agency brands and access to broader network firepower.

Grey became part of the AKQA Group in 2020—a merger that, at the time, lacked a clearly defined market demand for a combined offering and has since struggled to deliver any real cohesive value in practice. The news of Grey’s alignment with Ogilvy comes as AKQA prepares to announce a new global CEO this summer, following the departure of founder Ajaz Ahmed late last year.

Grey, which describes itself as "the smallest of the big creative agencies of WPP" has 25 studios in 18 markets around the world. Clients include Corona, Aquafresh, Applebee, Vodafone Ireland, and Haleon.

Here are five reasons why WPP is making the move...

• Grey and Ogilvy are global brands with proud heritages, celebrated cultures and fiercely loyal client bases. WPP’s approach ensures that each retains its own creative philosophy, leadership, and tone of voice – all while benefiting from a deeper connection that allows both agencies to do more for clients, together. Grey brings famously effective, emotionally resonant creative ideas. Ogilvy offers deep expertise in brand, PR, experience, media and consulting. Each brand plays a different – and highly valuable – role in the WPP portfolio. By creating stronger ties between them, WPP enables greater knowledge-sharing and access to a wider suite of capabilities, without asking either agency to compromise its core. The move reclaims Grey's offering as a creative boutique and comes in response to the demands of the modern marketer seeking simplicity, integration, and bold creative thinking. And Grey's new home within the Ogilvy structure will help sharpen its “Famously Effective” positioning under Bulchandani - a fierce champion of commercial creativity.

• In a world of increasing complexity, clients are seeking smarter, more integrated solutions. Closer collaboration between Grey and Ogilvy creates a more agile and responsive network – one that’s able to mobilise quickly, tap into broader skillsets, and drive seamless execution, all while maintaining the clarity and continuity of their chosen agency partner. It will unlock an integration firepower; as Bulchandani puts it: “This includes exploring strategic opportunities where Ogilvy's complementary capabilities – from Ogilvy One and Ogilvy Consulting to Ogilvy PR’s expertise at the intersection of earned, social, and influence – can add value to Grey's clients, and vice versa.”

• Closer operational ties between the two networks will bring efficiencies in infrastructure and resource sharing – allowing both agencies to invest more where it matters most: in creativity, innovation, and client experience. This isn't about cost-cutting so much as value-creating. The pace of change in the industry demands a more agile, connected way of working; stand alone networks are increasingly exposed, which is one reason why Grey was partnered with AKQA in the first place. But Ogilvy is culturally a much better fit for Grey and this evolution gives Grey and Ogilvy the flexibility to adapt, the scale to lead, and the creative freedom to flourish – while staying true to the values, voices and visions embedded in their DNAs.

• The move also reflects a sharpening of the creative offer — so clients get the best of both worlds: an entrepreneurial streak, backed by network strength. Grey joins other specialist agencies like DAVID, INGO, and NCA, all operating independently under the Ogilvy umbrella. It reflects Bulchandani's ambition for a more streamlined creative structure: clearer brand roles, reduced overlap, and more straightforward navigation for clients across the group’s portfolio.

• The alignment could also offer talent more culturally-attuned opportunities, opening up broader career paths, allowing more dynamic collaboration, and access to world-class tools and resources across both agencies. Importantly, it also protects the individual cultures that have attracted people to work at Grey and Ogilvy, ensuring that top talent like Grey London CEO Conrad Persons remain firmly within the network, empowered to continue setting the bar for creative leadership.