WPP has appointed Elav Horwitz as its first Chief Innovation Officer, reporting to CTO Stephan Pretorius. In this new role, she will lead applied AI initiatives, connect WPP’s creative talent with partners, and drive technology-led client transformation. Her appointment reinforces WPP’s commitment to innovation and data-driven brand storytelling.
Global marketing and communications giant WPP has announced the appointment of Elav Horwitz as its first Chief Innovation Officer, marking a strategic move to accelerate the company’s leadership in applied artificial intelligence (AI) and technology-driven creativity.
In this newly created role, Horwitz will be responsible for connecting WPP’s extensive network of partners with the company’s diverse creative and strategic talent. Her mission is to foster a culture of collaboration and agile innovation across WPP’s agencies, driving transformative solutions that help clients reimagine commerce, content, and culture in an AI-powered world.
According to WPP’s announcement, Horwitz will focus on bridging technology and creativity to help brands stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. From leveraging data-driven insights to scaling the use of AI tools in marketing, her leadership aims to ensure that innovation becomes a seamless part of how WPP delivers value to its clients.
Horwitz will continue to report to Stephan Pretorius, WPP’s Chief Technology Officer, who emphasized that her appointment reinforces the company’s vision for the future. “Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at WPP,” Pretorius said. “Elav’s promotion to Chief Innovation Officer, together with the world-class team she is assembling, underscores our commitment to actively shape the future of our industry.”
Elav Horwitz has been widely recognized for her work at the intersection of technology, creativity, and strategy. Her ability to translate emerging technologies into impactful brand experiences has made her one of the most forward-thinking leaders in the industry.
Beyond WPP, Horwitz serves as an advisor to the Spotify and Meta Creative Councils, providing strategic insight on how brands can engage audiences through innovative digital storytelling. She is also a founding member of Chief, a private network for women in executive leadership, reflecting her continued advocacy for inclusive leadership in the technology and creative sectors.
Her elevation to the Chief Innovation Officer role signals not only WPP’s investment in her leadership but also its ambition to push the boundaries of how AI and automation can enhance creativity, insight generation, and brand engagement.
Horwitz’s appointment comes as part of WPP’s broader strategy to embed AI, data, and emerging technologies into every layer of its business. The company has been expanding its innovation leadership team, with recent appointments including Daniel Barak as Global Creative and Innovation Lead, Sarah Salter as VP of Global Partnerships & AI Innovation, and Mathieu Albrand as Director of AI Strategy and Innovation.
Together, this team will work closely with Horwitz and Pretorius to accelerate the integration of advanced technologies across WPP’s global network. Their focus will include developing proprietary tools, forming strategic partnerships with leading tech platforms, and experimenting with creative applications of AI to help clients navigate new market realities.
With the rise of generative AI, immersive media, and real-time personalization, marketing is entering a new phase where technology and creativity are inseparable. WPP’s decision to formalize the Chief Innovation Officer role reflects a recognition that innovation must be both structured and continuous.
Horwitz’s leadership will aim to make innovation a core discipline within WPP — not just a department. Her approach is expected to help clients transform their business models, enhance creative effectiveness, and build brand experiences that resonate across diverse audiences and platforms.
In recent years, WPP has made significant investments in AI, data, and digital infrastructure, strengthening its partnerships with major technology companies including Microsoft, Google, and NVIDIA. These efforts have positioned WPP as a leader in applying generative AI and machine learning to creative and media workflows, enabling faster, more efficient, and more personalized marketing solutions.
Elav Horwitz’s new role is expected to build on this foundation — accelerating innovation at the intersection of technology, creativity, and human insight. Her track record of driving collaborative ecosystems between tech partners, creators, and strategists makes her well-suited to lead WPP’s next phase of growth.
For WPP, the creation of the Chief Innovation Officer role represents more than a structural change — it signals a mindset shift toward continuous experimentation and creative reinvention. As AI reshapes the global marketing landscape, Horwitz’s appointment reinforces WPP’s belief that innovation must remain a shared language across its agencies and clients.
Her journey — from advising tech giants to driving transformation within one of the world’s largest marketing networks — reflects the evolution of the industry itself: a place where creativity and technology no longer compete, but co-create.
With Elav Horwitz now leading its innovation agenda, WPP is positioning itself not just to keep up with change — but to define it.
