GroupM Elevates Andrew Ruegger to Global President of GroupM Commerce

Ruegger will scale commerce-focused products and services for clients to realize the data-driven opportunities in the expanding retail marketplace

New York (March 31, 2021) — GroupM, WPP’s media investment group, today announced that Andrew Ruegger was elevated to the role of global president, GroupM Commerce. In this new role, Ruegger will scale commerce-focused products and services for clients to realize the data-driven opportunities in the expanding retail marketplace. He is the bridge between all of GroupM’s capabilities in the commerce category and leads the group’s collaboration in WPP workstreams across commerce.

GroupM, home to the largest SEO and algorithm optimization teams in the world, has a long history of successfully building brand awareness across the commerce space at all stages of the customer journey. Under Ruegger’s leadership, GroupM’s commerce offering gets brought under one house, with an emphasis for brands on sales and then awareness.

“I’m really excited to lead this practice because GroupM really does have unmatched expertise in this space around the world,” said Ruegger. “Over the last year, brands and platforms have needed to re-evaluate every aspect of the retail ecosystem, from brand awareness drivers to a seamless transaction experience, to ‘last mile’ distribution channels. Our global network of commerce experts, who specialize in commerce media with marketing-leading knowledge in all relevant commerce-focused platforms, are uniquely able to understand how algorithms work and that serves as the key to organic shelf visibility.”

Since the start of the pandemic, commerce has only accelerated the growth trajectory it was already destined for, bringing GroupM’s commerce capabilities to the forefront of client innovation. GroupM’s significant momentum and expertise across media and technology was a leading contributor in WPP’s recent honor as a Leader in the 2021 Forrester Commerce Services Wave Report, which recognizes service providers that offer the best commerce strategy, design, implementation, integration, and operations for leading brands.

A GroupM veteran of over six years, the last two leading the group’s U.S. commerce offering, with experience across data science, product, technology, strategy, innovation, e-commerce, SEO and paid search, Ruegger’s unique skillset gives GroupM’s clients an unmatched point of view into the consumer mindset and retail ecosystem.

“As brands around the world struggle to catch up with the rapidly changing commerce landscape, GroupM’s commerce capability across the group has been able to keep our clients ahead of the curve,” said Christian Juhl, GroupM’s Global CEO. “Andrew’s cross-category experience and deep knowledge of the GroupM and WPP network make him the ideal leader to meet the changes within the market and the demand from our clients.”