6-K
WPP plc (WPP)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
_____________________
FORM 6-K
____________________
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the Month of May 2025
Commission File Number: 001-38303
______________________
WPP plc
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
________________________
Sea Containers, 18 Upper Ground
London, United Kingdom SE1 9GL
(Address of principal executive offices)
_________________________
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:
Form 20-F X Form 40-F ___
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ___
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ___
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant’s “home country”), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant’s securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant’s security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.
Forward-Looking Statements
The Company may include forward-looking statements (including as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) in oral or written public statements issued by or on behalf of the Company. These forward-looking statements may include, among other things, plans, objectives, beliefs, intentions, strategies, projections and anticipated future economic performance based on assumptions and the like that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They use words such as ‘aim’, ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’, ‘forecast’, ‘guidance’, ‘intend’, ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘should’, ‘potential’, ‘possible’, ‘predict’, ‘project’, ‘plan’, ‘target’, and other words and similar references to future periods but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. As such, all forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to future events and circumstances that are beyond the control of the Company. Actual results or outcomes may differ materially from those discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made, as a prediction of actual results or otherwise. Important factors which may cause actual results to differ include but are not limited to: the unanticipated loss of a material client or key personnel; delays, suspensions or reductions in client advertising budgets; shifts in industry rates of compensation; regulatory compliance costs or litigation; changes in competitive factors in the industries in which we operate and demand for our products and services; changes in client advertising, marketing and corporate communications requirements; our inability to realise the future anticipated benefits of acquisitions; failure to realise our assumptions regarding goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets; natural disasters or acts of terrorism; the Company’s ability to attract new clients; the economic and geopolitical impact of the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East; the risk of global economic downturn; slower growth, increasing interest rates and high and sustained inflation; tariffs and other trade barriers; supply chain issues affecting the distribution of our clients’ products; technological changes and risks to the security of IT and operational infrastructure, systems, data and information resulting from increased threat of cyber and other attacks; effectively managing the risks, challenges and efficiencies presented by using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI technologies and partnerships in our business; risks related to our environmental, social and governance goals and initiatives, including impacts from regulators and other stakeholders, and the impact of factors outside of our control on such goals and initiatives; the Company’s exposure to changes in the values of other major currencies (because a substantial portion of its revenues are derived and costs incurred outside of the UK); and the overall level of economic activity in the Company’s major markets (which varies depending on, among other things, regional, national and international political and economic conditions and government regulations in the world’s advertising markets). In addition, you should consider the risks described in Item 3D, captioned “Risk Factors” in the Group’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, which could also cause actual results to differ from forward-looking information. In light of these and other uncertainties, the forward-looking statements included in this document should not be regarded as a representation by the Company that the Company’s plans and objectives will be achieved. Neither the Company, nor any of its directors, officers or employees, provides any representation, assurance or guarantee that the occurrence of any events anticipated, expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements will actually occur. Other than in accordance with its legal or regulatory obligations (including under the Market Abuse Regulation, the UK Listing Rules and the Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority), the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
EXHIBIT INDEX
| Exhibit<br>No. | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Executive Share Awards dated 12<br>May 2025, prepared by WPP plc. |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
12 MAY 2025
WPP plc ("WPP")
Executive Share Awards
WPP's Executive Director's annual bonus for 2024 was delivered in the form of a cash award and a deferred share award comprising 40% of the total bonus achieved. The Executive Share Award (ESA) will vest after two years, subject to continued employment.
The 2024 ESA award was granted on 7 May 2025 as follows:
| Executive Director | Number of shares awarded |
|---|---|
| Mark Read | 78,664 |
| Joanne Wilson | 46,667 |
| Andrew Scott | 38,015 |
Notes
1) These awards were made in accordance with the terms of the 2023 Directors' Compensation Policy as approved by shareholders on 17 May 2023
2) Additional shares will be awarded at vesting in lieu of dividends on the shares that vest
3) Awards to Executive Directors are subject to an additional two-year post-vesting holding period
| 1. | Details of PDMR/person closely associated with them<br>('PCA') | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| a) | Name | Mark<br>Read | |
| b) | Position/status | Chief<br>Executive Officer | |
| c) | Initial<br>notification/amendment | Initial<br>notification | |
| 2. | Details of the issuer | ||
| a) | Full<br>name of the entity | WPP<br>plc | |
| b) | Legal<br>Entity Identifier code | 549300LSGBXPYHXGDT93 | |
| 3. | Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each<br>type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date;<br>and (iv) each place where transactions have been<br>conducted | ||
| a) | Description<br>of the financial instrument | Ordinary<br>shares of 10 pence each ('Ordinary Shares')<br><br><br>ISIN:<br>JE00B8KF9B49 | |
| b) | Nature<br>of the transaction | Grant<br>of conditional awards over WPP plc ordinary shares under the WPP<br>plc Stock Plan 2018 | |
| c) | Price(s)<br>and volume(s) (Number of WPP ordinary shares<br>or WPP ADRs sold or purchased and price per<br>share/ADR) | Price(s) | Volume(s) |
| Conditional<br>Free Share Award | 78,664 | ||
| d) | Aggregated<br>information<br><br><br>- <br>Aggregated number<br><br><br>- <br>Aggregated Price<br><br><br>- <br>Total | N/A<br>(single transaction) | |
| e) | Date of<br>the transaction | 7 May<br>2025 | |
| f) | Place<br>of the transaction | London<br>Stock Exchange (XLON) | |
| 1. | Details of PDMR/person closely associated with them<br>('PCA') | ||
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| a) | Name | Joanne<br>Wilson | |
| b) | Position/status | Chief<br>Financial Officer | |
| c) | Initial<br>notification/amendment | Initial<br>notification | |
| 2. | Details of the issuer | ||
| a) | Full<br>name of the entity | WPP<br>plc | |
| b) | Legal<br>Entity Identifier code | 549300LSGBXPYHXGDT93 | |
| 3. | Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each<br>type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date;<br>and (iv) each place where transactions have been<br>conducted | ||
| a) | Description<br>of the financial instrument | Ordinary<br>shares of 10 pence each ('Ordinary Shares')<br><br><br>ISIN:<br>JE00B8KF9B49 | |
| b) | Nature<br>of the transaction | Grant<br>of conditional awards over WPP plc ordinary shares under the WPP<br>plc Stock Plan 2018 | |
| c) | Price(s)<br>and volume(s) (Number of WPP ordinary shares<br>or WPP ADRs sold or purchased and price per<br>share/ADR) | Price(s) | Volume(s) |
| Conditional<br>Free Share Awards | 46,667 | ||
| d) | Aggregated<br>information<br><br><br>- <br>Aggregated number<br><br><br>- <br>Aggregated Price<br><br><br>- <br>Total | N/A | |
| e) | Date of<br>the transaction | 7 May<br>2025 | |
| f) | Place<br>of the transaction | London<br>Stock Exchange (XLON) | |
| 1. | Details of PDMR/person closely associated with them<br>('PCA') | ||
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| a) | Name | Andrew<br>Scott | |
| b) | Position/status | Chief<br>Operating Officer | |
| c) | Initial<br>notification/amendment | Initial<br>notification | |
| 2. | Details of the issuer | ||
| a) | Full<br>name of the entity | WPP<br>plc | |
| b) | Legal<br>Entity Identifier code | 549300LSGBXPYHXGDT93 | |
| 3. | Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each<br>type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date;<br>and (iv) each place where transactions have been<br>conducted | ||
| a) | Description<br>of the financial instrument | Ordinary<br>shares of 10 pence each ('Ordinary Shares')<br><br><br>ISIN:<br>JE00B8KF9B49 | |
| b) | Nature<br>of the transaction | Grant<br>of conditional awards over WPP plc ordinary shares under the WPP<br>plc Stock Plan 2018 | |
| c) | Price(s)<br>and volume(s) (Number of WPP ordinary shares<br>or WPP ADRs sold or purchased and price per<br>share/ADR) | Price(s) | Volume(s) |
| Conditional<br>Free Share Awards | 38,015 | ||
| d) | Aggregated<br>information<br><br><br>- <br>Aggregated number<br><br><br>- <br>Aggregated Price<br><br><br>- <br>Total | N/A | |
| e) | Date of<br>the transaction | 7 May<br>2025 | |
| f) | Place<br>of the transaction | London<br>Stock Exchange (XLON) |
This notice is given in fulfilment of the obligation under Article 19 of the Market Abuse Regulation.
Balbir Kelly-Bisla
Company Secretary
Further information
Media: press@wpp.com
Investors: irteam@wpp.com
About WPP
WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities. For more information, visit www.wpp.com.
END
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| WPP<br>PLC | |
|---|---|
| (Registrant) | |
| Date:<br>12 May 2025 | By:<br> ______________________ |
| Balbir<br>Kelly-Bisla | |
| Company<br>Secretary |