Havas Reportedly Considering Investment in Struggling WPP
LONDON – Havas is exploring a potential investment in WPP, the world’s largest advertising and marketing services company, according to a report by The Telegraph on november 15, 2025. The move comes as WPP navigates a period of meaningful challenges, including declining revenue and a diminished stock price, while Havas experiences a period of growth.
The potential deal would see Havas capitalize on WPP’s depressed valuation, which currently stands at $4.1 billion (£3.1 billion) - a substantial drop from its peak of £24 billion in 2017. This represents a significant prospect for Havas, which has a market capitalization of $1.6 billion (€1.45 billion) and reported a record net revenue of $2.3 billion (€2 billion) for the first nine months of 2025. The exploration of a deal underscores the ongoing consolidation within the advertising industry and the shifting dynamics between major players.
WPP has faced considerable headwinds recently. In the third quarter of 2025, the company reported an 8.4% revenue decline, which new CEO Cindy Rose deemed “unacceptable.” Rose, who took the helm earlier this year, has initiated a turnaround plan centered on artificial intelligence and has appointed Elav Horwitz as its first chief innovation officer to lead AI-focused initiatives. WPP has also engaged consulting firm McKinsey to conduct a strategic review of its operations.
Despite these efforts, investor confidence remains shaky, with eight hedge funds, including Millennium and Marshall Wace, currently holding short positions on WPP’s stock. However, Rose and chairman Philip Jansen recently demonstrated faith in the company’s future by each purchasing 50,000 shares, investing over $184,000 (£140,000) apiece – a move widely interpreted as a signal of confidence to the market.
Havas’s interest in WPP echoes past attempts at acquiring stakes in other advertising giants. In 2011,Vincent Bolloré’s havas made an offer for Aegis Group,but the deal never materialized,and Aegis was ultimately sold to Dentsu.
The potential investment in WPP would position havas to gain a foothold in a historically dominant advertising network, even as WPP works to regain its footing in a rapidly evolving industry landscape. WPP employs 110,000 peopel globally,significantly more then Havas’s 23,000 staffers.
