Dominic Proctor, a leading figure in the development of global media and advertising agencies and one of the most influential executives in the history of WPP – one of the most successful companies – has died, aged 69.
His 40-year career began at JWT in London, then the UK’s largest agency. He became CEO at age 35 and led it through an era of transformation from full-service agencies to specialised, global media buying groups.
The 1987 acquisition of JWT by Martin Sorrell’s WPP gave Proctor a yet bigger stage.
Within a few years, he had become the founding CEO of Mindshare, the group’s first stand-alone media-buying agency, created from JWT and Ogilvy. His vision for the changing role of media buying worldwide and his role as a popular, personable leader, made Mindshare into a global powerhouse. After 14 years, he became global president of GroupM where he led the aggregation of WPP’s media buying operations. He retired from WPP in 2017.
Sorrell told Flashes & Flames this week: “Dom was typical of the last great J Walter Thompson generation, nurtured mainly by Jeremy Bullmore and Stephen King. Who David Ogilvy would have called “a gentleman with brains”, Dominic was a key media strategist behind the difficult birth of Mindshare, from the media departments of JWT and Ogilvy – key parts of the agency which some of the leaders found so difficult to surrender to media independence. He also had a clear vision of the rise and critical growth of media planning and buying in the agency of the future, as the first CEO of Mindshare. He was articulate, intelligent, fun, humorous and engaging – liked as well as respected, all too rare. What a waste to leave us at 69.”
Mark Read, the outgoing CEO of WPP, said: “Dominic Proctor was first and foremost a dear friend and colleague to countless people across the world of advertising. He was also one of the most influential people in the global media and marketing industry – very few have done more to shape the media planning and buying landscape we see today.”
Read said Proctor had made a significant contribution to the successful careers of many advertising people (including himself): “He was always generous with his time and considerable wisdom, and always very good company.”
Another former colleague, William Eccleshare, said: “Dom and I were joint MD’s of JWT in the early 1990s and he was the very best of partners. We remained good friends ever since those special times and he was always the same relaxed, funny, sharp and wise companion whenever we met up. He has left us far, far too soon and I know how much he will be missed by all who where lucky enough to work with him over his brilliant career. RIP, Dom – truly one of the good guys.”
Beyond his career, Proctor dedicated himself to charitable causes. He was a co-founder and long-time trustee of Tommy’s, the 33-year-old, UK-based pregnancy and baby charity, and is remembered as someone who always gave back to the communities in which he lived and worked.
Here’s an interview Dom Proctor gave to Forbes in 2012, to remind us what we have lost.
