WPP Explores Sale Of PR Arm, Report Says

(MENAFN- PRovoke) LONDON - WPP is exploring a potential sale of its public relations arm, with advisers at Goldman Sachs evaluating strategic options for its flagship communications agency Burson, according to a report by The Time.

The move could pave the way for a near-complete exit from PR for WPP and would mark the first significant disposal under CEO Cindy Rose, who is leading a broader effort to simplify the company's structure and return it to growth. WPP and Goldman Sachs declined to comment, the report said.

Burson - created in 2024 through the merger of BCW and Hill & Knowlton - employs around 6,000 people globally and represents the core of WPP's remaining PR operations. A sale would follow WPP's earlier divestment of a majority stake in FGS Global to KKR, a deal that valued the firm at £1.3 billion.

The review comes as WPP faces continued pressure on performance. In 2025, WPP's PR segment generated £667 million in revenue less pass-through costs, down 6.0% like-for-like, and £102m million in headline operating profit. The PR business is now significantly smaller following the disposal of FGS Global in late 2024, which continues to affect year-on-year comparisons.

WPP reported full-year revenue of £13.55 billion in 2025, down 8.1% on a reported basis, while headline operating profit fell 22.6% and margins declined to 13.0%. The PR segment generated £667 million in revenue less pass-through costs.

The results were accompanied by Rose's “Elevate28” strategy, a multi-year transformation plan designed to simplify WPP's operating model. The company is moving away from a traditional holding company structure toward a more integrated organisation built around four divisions - media, creative, production and enterprise solutions - and is targeting £500 million in cost savings by 2028.

For WPP's communications businesses, including Burson, the shift has already resulted in consolidation. A potential sale would represent a further step in reducing the company's exposure to the PR sector.

The past 12 months have seen considerable speculation about the future of the largest publicly traded PR firms. There have been rumors about WPP's plans to offload its PR operations for some time. Similarly, there has been recent discussion around the possibility that Weber Shandwick might seek private equity backing for a management buyout.

The challenge - to this point - has been finding an interested party. Despite KKR's acquisition of FGS Global and broader private equity interest in corporate and financial communications specialists, it is not clear who would be willing to finance the acquisition of a large, global legacy firm.

This story will be updated as further information and comment becomes available.

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