GroupM has named Lindsay Pattison as its Chief Transformation Officer (CTO). She also continues to be CEO of Maxus and will perform both roles. In her new role, she will lead change initiatives across GroupM and its agencies. Along with other WPP companies, she will create tailored and flexible models to better serve the agency’s key clients.

Ms Pattison will lead a number of change programs to support group and agency structures, talent and leadership development, culture and diversity, as well as WPP’s horizontality strategy. She remains a member of GroupM’s global executive committee, reporting to Kelly Clark, Global CEO of GroupM.

The new mandate will also require Ms Pattison to focus on senior talent development to ensure GroupM and its agencies have a strong bench of diverse leaders. She will support WPP’s horizontality strategy, by helping deliver the best of GroupM to key clients, regardless of the client’s entry point to the group.

“Clients need us to think differently and work smarter. Lindsay will help us deliver on those challenges. I’ve worked with her for many years. She’s a force, and holds the respect of clients and colleagues. She will make a huge impact with her smarts, energy and warmth,” said Mr Clark.

“GroupM and its agencies are key to WPP’s horizontality strategy. Lindsay will play a crucial role in accelerating our delivery of new and innovative service structures for clients,” added WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell.

Ms Pattison was named global CEO of Maxus in October 2014. She was previously Global Chief Strategy Officer and UK CEO for Maxus.

“When we look at the broader business context, the transformation we are experiencing is profound. The WEF calls it the ‘fourth industrial revolution,’ a technological revolution and one that requires two key skills to succeed: collaboration and agility. New thinking is required across the board, and I’m delighted to take on this new transformation role,” Ms Pattison said.