WPP launches specialist healthcare firm

Global communications group WPP has launched a new healthcare-focused company to better serve its healthcare clients worldwide.

The new firm, WPP Health & Wellness, is comprised of three of the group's specialist agencies - Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide, Sudler & Hennessey, greyhealth group - as well as media planning firm CMI, with each set to retain their respective brand identities.

It aims to leverage the full range of the agencies' specialisms and resources to offer current and prospective clients a more comprehensive service in line with the increasingly consumer- and data-driven health market.

Mike Hudnall, co-founder of Huntsworth Health's Evoke Health and former head of Team Pfizer at WPP, is to lead the new venture as global chief executive, with the leadership of each WPP Health & Wellness agency reporting to him.

Meanwhile, also reporting to Hudnall, former executive managing director for ghg's European operations Claire Gillis has been appointed to oversee the new firm's hubs in Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand as international chief executive, healthcare specialist agencies.

Hudnall commented: “Individually our healthcare agencies are well known and respected for their strong partnership and meaningful work they deliver for our clients.

“This new structure centres on keeping those brands and cultures alive, builds on those strengths, and enables new cross-agency collaboration that will benefit our clients and provide greater career opportunities for our people.

“We are focused on sharing best practices, scaling our strengths, and developing new services.”

WPP Health & Wellness will also offer a consulting service, building on the group's current brand strategy, medical affairs and market access capabilities, as well as a data and insights offering, which is set to provide what WPP says is the first ever data and analytics-tailored service to inform behavioural change and outcomes in health.

Hudnall added: “Our clients today live in an increasingly regulated, outcomes-based, and consumer-driven world that presents complex challenges and significant opportunity for their business.

“We have been incredibly successful to date, and I am excited to build on our achievements and provide our clients with a higher level of strategic partnership, an expanded range of specialised modern services, and specialised healthcare capabilities in new sectors.”