JWT Replaces CEO As Gustavo Martinez’ Resigns Amid Rape Joke Allegations

Global creative agency J. Walter Thompson has appointed Tamara Ingram as its new CEO following the resignation of Gustavo Martinez.

Martinez has been embroiled in controversy over allegations he made a number of jokes about rape and comments about murder and racist comments. The comments resulted in a discrimination lawsuit, reports The Wall Street Journal.

In a statement on the J. Walter Thompson site, the replacement is effective immediately. The statement further says Martinez resigned in “mutual agreement” as it was within the best interests of the company.

The Wall Street Journal said the lawsuit had been launched by Erin Johnson, JWT’s chief communications officer. Martinez has denied the allegations.

The full statement on the WPP and JWT site is below.

Following recent events, Tamara Ingram, currently Chief Client Team Officer at WPP, (NASDAQ: WPPGY) has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of J. Walter Thompson Company, replacing Gustavo Martinez, with immediate effect.

By mutual agreement, Martinez has resigned in the best interest of the J. Walter Thompson Company.

In 2015, Ingram was named WPP’s Chief Client Team Officer, overseeing the Group’s 45 global account teams, representing one-third of the Group’s $20 billion of revenues with over 38,000 employees working on these clients. Prior to that, Ingram was President and Chief Executive Officer of Team P&G, a position she held since 2007. She joined WPP’s wholly-owned data investment division, Kantar, in 2003.

Ingram brings extensive advertising agency experience to J. Walter Thompson. Following WPP’s acquisition of Grey Global Group in 2005, she joined that agency as Grey UK’s Group Chief Executive Officer. There, she was also global leader on the P&G account. Before that, Ingram served as Chief Executive Officer of McCann Worldgroup in London. She began her career at Saatchi & Saatchi in 1985 as a temp, rising to Chief Executive of the London office, before leaving for McCann Worldgroup.

George Rogers succeeds Ingram as WPP’s Chief Client Team Officer with immediate effect, in addition to his current duties as WPP’s Global Business Development Director.

Rogers has been instrumental in WPP’s success in parent company pitches since assuming his business development role in 2011. He joined WPP in 2005 when he was named Chief Executive Officer of Team Detroit, one of the Group’s earliest team accounts. He joined WPP from Mullen, where he was Executive Vice President.

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