Cristina Rey Appointed CEO of WPP Media in Spain

Cristina, who most recently served as CEO of UM in Spain, brings with her a strong track record of over 25 years in the media industry, having led some of the country’s most prominent media agencies. She has worked with major brands, consistently demonstrating a strong focus on results, transformation, and talent. Prior to UM, Rey has also held top leadership roles at Carat and Zenith, as well as serving as General Manager of Optimedia and Client Services Director at Maxus CICM. Her profile combines deep strategic business insight with hands-on experience in key areas such as technological innovation, product development, commercial negotiation, organizational transformation, and operational leadership.

Her appointment follows the recent relaunch of the business as WPP Media as a fully integrated, AI-powered media company. It reinforces the company’s commitment to leading the industry into the AI era, while continuing to drive growth, operational excellence, and impact for clients. As the global leader in advertising investment, according to the latest 2024 Billings Rankings & Market Shares (BMS) Global Report by COMvergence, WPP Media now begins a new chapter in Spain focused on t helping clients stay ahead of rapidly changing consumer behavior and unlocking the limitless opportunities for growth that AI will create.

“It’s an honour to be joining WPP Media Spain at such a pivotal time for our industry,” said Cristina Rey. “I take on this opportunity with enormous enthusiasm and a firm commitment to supporting our team and driving growth for our clients in the AI era . Technology is playing a critical role in the evolution of our sector, and WPP Media fully understands both the challenge and the tremendous potential this presents. My goal is to embrace both change and opportunity, and—together with the capabilities offered by the WPP network—build contemporary, integrated, and effective communication solutions that drive sustainable growth for brands. I firmly believe that, with the energy and talent of the team, we can lead this change and make a real difference in the market.”

Michael Karg, CEO of WPP Media in Europe, welcomed Cristina to the company:

“Cristina joins at a key moment, as we evolve our business model and consolidate our new identity as WPP Media. With a strong track record of helping clients grow and leading high-performing teams through transformation, her strategic perspective and deep understanding of the Spanish market will be essential in reinforcing what we’ve built and accelerating what’s next. We’re truly excited to welcome her to the team and want to sincerely thank Adam for his leadership during this important transition.”

Adam Hiscock, interim CEO of WPP Media in Spain, will continue to lead the operation throughout the transition period, which will run until 1 February, when Cristina Rey officially takes up the role. We thank Adam for his leadership and commitment during these critical months for the company.

The announcement follows the appointment of Alberto Knapp as President of WPP in Spain, aimed at accelerating the integration of technology and innovation into the group’s overall proposition.

“With Cristina leading WPP Media, we will fast-track our integrated offer across media, technology, data and creativity. Her deep knowledge of the Spanish market will allow us to move faster in responding to the transformations our industry is undergoing,” he said.