Shares in focus: Can WPP beat off Facebook?

Google and Facebook now dominate digital advertising. Is there still a place for WPP, and can it keep growing? Phil Oakley investigates.

The advertising agency faces stiff online competition, but trading is on the up, says Phil Oakley.

WPP is often referred to as the world's largest advertising agency. That's true but it is much more than that. WPP's activities cover the whole spectrum of company communications with its customers, including market research, public relations and brand-building. It is made up of 155 different companies based in 110 countries around the world.

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Phil spent 13 years as an investment analyst for both stockbroking and fund management companies.

 

After graduating with a MSc in International Banking, Economics & Finance from Liverpool Business School in 1996, Phil went to work for BWD Rensburg, a Liverpool based investment manager. In 2001, he joined ABN AMRO as a transport analyst. After a brief spell as a food retail analyst, he spent five years with ABN's very successful UK Smaller Companies team where he covered engineering, transport and support services stocks.

 

In 2007, Phil joined Halbis Capital Management as a European equities analyst. He began writing for MoneyWeek in 2010.