Eric Campbell Will Succeed Jon Cook as VML Global CEO
North America CEO Eric Campbell will assume the top global role at the ad agency in March 2027.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Advertising
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VML Global CEO Jon Cook will step down from his leadership position in March 2027, marking the end of a 30-year tenure. Eric Campbell, who currently leads the firm's North American operations, will transition into the global CEO role at that time.
Why it matters
The transition marks a leadership change at a firm operating across more than 55 markets as it navigates the competitive agency landscape. Continuity is planned through a multi-month partnership between the outgoing and incoming executives.
VML operates across more than 55 markets and recently achieved recognition as Campaign's 2026 Global Agency of the Year. Successor Eric Campbell brings over 25 years of internal firm experience to the global leadership role.
The players
Jon Cook
The outgoing Global CEO of VML and WPP Creative who has served the organization for 30 years.
Eric Campbell
The incoming Global CEO of VML who has 25 years of experience and currently leads North American operations.
WPP
A global creative transformation company that owns VML and operates as a holding entity for agency networks.
VML
A global advertising agency network operating in more than 55 markets that was named 2026 Global Agency of the Year.
The details
Jon Cook, who currently serves as Global CEO of both VML and WPP Creative, will partner with Eric Campbell immediately to transition global responsibilities. Campbell will maintain his current duties as CEO of WPP Creative North America while scaling into his new global remit. The firm is managing this change following the launch of WPP Creative in February 2026 to consolidate its service offerings.
Timeline
February 2026: WPP launched WPP Creative and Jon Cook became CEO.
October 2, 2026: WPP announced the upcoming departure of Jon Cook.
March 2027: Jon Cook will step down and Eric Campbell will officially succeed him as Global CEO.
Market Landscape
The leadership change follows the organizational restructuring initiated by the February 2026 launch of WPP Creative. This transition signals a continued shift in how the parent company aligns its executive leadership with its consolidated agency service model.
Operators should monitor how the leadership transition impacts VML's regional service consistency in North America versus global operations. Clients and partners should confirm if their existing account management contacts remain unchanged during the multi-month transition period.
The takeaway
Large agency networks are increasingly centralizing leadership to align with broader holding-company service models. Operators should review their own long-term vendor contracts to identify potential service-level impacts during planned or unplanned leadership rotations.
What happens next
Eric Campbell will assume the role of Global CEO of VML in March 2027.
Further reading
For more on industry shifts, see Advertising.
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