WPP ropes in Elav Horwitz as its first Chief Innovation Officer

WPP has appointed Elav Horwitz as its first Chief Innovation Officer, a new role aimed at strengthening the company’s leadership in applied AI and advancing technology-driven solutions for clients.

In this position, Elav will focus on bringing together WPP’s global partners and its creative and strategic talent to build a stronger culture of collaboration and innovation. Her mission is to drive applied AI, enable client transformation, and reshape how brands approach commerce, content creation, and culture. She will continue to report to Stephan Pretorius, Chief Technology Officer at WPP.

A recognized advocate for responsible innovation, Elav also serves as an advisor to industry councils for Spotify and Meta, and is a founding member of the leadership network Chief.

Her appointment reflects WPP’s ongoing commitment to investing in technology and data. It follows several recent additions to the company’s innovation leadership team, including Daniel Barak as Global Creative and Innovation Lead, Sarah Salter as VP of Global Partnerships & AI Innovation, and Mathieu Albrand as Director of AI Strategy and Innovation. Together, they will collaborate with Elav and Stephan to accelerate WPP’s innovation agenda.

“Innovation is at the core of WPP’s vision,” said Stephan Pretorius, CTO, WPP. “Elav’s appointment, along with the talented team she’s building, reinforces our mission to stay at the forefront of technology-driven creativity. She will help turn the potential of applied AI into real-world solutions that deliver measurable business impact for our clients.”

“In today’s AI era, innovation and agility are more important than ever,” said Elav Horwitz, Chief Innovation Officer, WPP. “By combining our best talent, partners, and forward-thinking mindset, we can demonstrate what’s possible — delivering meaningful results faster and making the future more accessible to all.”

Cindy Rose, CEO of WPP, added, “As we redefine marketing for the AI era, Elav’s leadership will be key. Her appointment reinforces our focus on embedding innovation into everything we do, ensuring our clients benefit from the most advanced tools and ideas.”

Under Elav’s leadership, WPP’s innovation efforts will revolve around three key pillars designed to drive transformative outcomes for clients:

• Innovative talent: Building on WPP’s existing network of creative technologists, including over 50 members from its Creative Tech Apprenticeship programme, Elav’s team will focus on rapid experimentation, AI-powered production, and connecting young innovators directly with clients. The programme, which now includes Google as its main curriculum partner, covers creative coding, generative AI, and robotics over a nine-week course.
• Cutting-edge technology models: WPP will continue to expand client access to advanced AI tools through its partnerships with companies like Adobe, Amazon, Google, IBM, Meta, Microsoft, Roblox, Spotify, Stability AI, TikTok, Universal Music Group, and Vercel. The company will also collaborate with emerging AI start-ups. With early access to these technologies, WPP can deliver campaign-ready content for clients in days, improving efficiency by up to 70%.
• Innovation in motion: Elav’s team will foster a culture of constant innovation across WPP through WPP Open and WPP Open Pro, encouraging co-creation, rethinking workflows, and embedding AI throughout creative, media, and production processes. The company will also launch an AI Client Council, inviting key clients to test and shape new AI-driven solutions before wider rollout.

This announcement comes soon after the launch of WPP Open Pro, an upgraded version of the company’s AI marketing platform, designed to empower clients to independently plan, create, and manage campaigns using WPP’s advanced AI capabilities.