#GAReads | WPP's Mark Read on gender equality and a generational shift in business culture
“WPP's Mark Read on gender equality and a generational shift in business culture”:
Mark Read, the chief executive of WPP, says the business is in the midst of a generational and cultural shift as it tackles gender inequality.
Speaking at a Wacl event to launch its report into the industry’s gender “leadership gap” produced in partnership with LinkedIn, Read shared the challenges WPP faces in achieving gender parity.
He pointed to the need for a “generational shift” in the way the business was managed and a cultural shift in the organisation to drive a more inclusive culture. “Half the people in WPP are under the age of 28 and we need to understand what they want and what they need to succeed,” he explained.
According to Read, not only is this the right thing to do, but clients are also pushing for change and asking what the company’s policies are, while at the same time there is competition for talent from the likes of Google and Facebook.