Executive Finance Director, EMEA

At AKQA (part of WPP), we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to create beautiful ideas, products, and services. With an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, we design adaptive digital solutions that capture the imagination and drive exceptional results for our clients.

We partner with our clients to solve complex challenges and shape a better future through world-leading work, constant innovation, and a commitment to excellence.

The Executive Finance Director, EMEA is responsible for defining and driving the financial strategy and operations across the region. As a commercial thought leader, you will shape the financial future of our regional operations by combining rigorous financial planning, commercial acumen, and operational excellence. You will be a trusted advisor to the executive leadership team, providing the financial insight needed to support decision-making, evaluate investments, and optimise overall financial performance.

You will nurture finance as a strategic partner to the business across EMEA, collaborating with studio finance leads to elevate our overall financial capabilities. Your role will be pivotal in strengthening financial discipline, fostering knowledge-sharing, and ensuring consistency in commercial excellence across the region.

You will also guide and mentor the finance team, ensuring best-in-class approaches to budgeting, forecasting, risk management, and commercial negotiations. Your leadership will elevate our agency’s financial capabilities, inspire our teams, and drive long-term commercial success.

• Financial and Strategic Leadership: Define and drive AKQA EMEA’s financial vision and strategy, developing long-term financial plans that support sustainable growth, innovation, and profitability.
• Unifying the Finance Discipline: Create direction and cohesion for the finance and accounting teams across the region, fostering a sense of collective identity and shared purpose.
• Reporting & Analysis: Monthly, quarterly and annual reporting and analysis to regional and global AKQA and WPP leadership.
• Compliance & Audit: Supporting WPPC Controllership with any analysis or context around financial statements and internal audit controls.
• Risk Management: Proactively identify financial risks across diverse markets, implementing controls and processes to mitigate risk
• Regional Performance, Budgeting & Forecasting: Provide guidance and oversight to studio leadership teams across the region, ensuring rigorous budget management, accurate forecasting, and proactive risk mitigation.
• Process Improvement: Analyze and optimize financial processes to enhance operational efficiency, strengthen controls, and leverage data automation.
• Collaboration with Executives: Partner closely with the EMEA Executive team and CEO to evaluate investments, support strategic decision-making, and optimize financial performance.
• Commercial and Client Partnering: Take an active, hands-on role in shaping commercial agreements, pricing strategies, and contract negotiations for high-profile regional clients.
• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, mentor, and develop finance teams (including controllers and accountants) across the region, fostering professional growth and a business-partnering mindset.

• Proven Leadership
  
  Experience:
  
  Extensive experience in senior financial leadership roles within creative agencies, digital consulting, technology, or related professional services environments.
• Strategic and Commercial Acumen: Strong understanding of agency business models, client profitability, and the levers that drive commercial success.
• Analytical and Solution-Oriented: Passionate about leveraging data to solve complex business challenges, with…