Merger, she wrote: VML’s boss on mastering the M&A process

The global brand agency’s UK CEO is something of a merger master, having been through the process five times. Here, she shares her advice with leaders looking to maximise post-merger success

Pip Hulbert has just been involved in a business merger for the fifth time and, as such, is something of an expert in the process. In January, she became UK CEO of VML, a new global brand agency born from the merger of two WPP stalwarts, VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson.

Hulbert’s career has followed the fortunes of these companies. For instance, she held the chief executive role at Wunderman before becoming CEO of Wunderman Thompson in 2019 following – you guessed it – a merger. 

Getting your operations right is critical

Before all of this, Hulbert was chief operations officer at Wunderman, a role she believes prepared her for leading a business through the complexity of the M&A process. 

The narrative has to be that we’re more than the sum of our parts

“It has been a huge help,” she says. “There are certain KPIs associated with operations and how you drive efficiencies, both in the business and for clients. I think it’s given me a good foundation for understanding, as you go through a merger, where you can gain some positive wins around how we’re operating.” 

With the announcement of her role as CEO of VML, Hulbert’s first move was to gain as much data and insight as possible about the new organisation. Time is of the essence when merging two separate entities, as any delay creates opportunities for confusion and unease. Hulbert immediately wanted to understand what VML had in terms of talent and skills and make a plan so she could hit the ground running. “In the CEO role you have to evaluate the business through many different lenses, but you can’t afford to get the operations wrong,” she says. “Those have to be water-tight.”