Frances Illingworth is the Global Recruitment Director for WPP. WPP is the largest marketing and Communications Company in the world with approximately 160,000 employees, operating across 2,500 offices, in more than 100 countries.  She is responsible for executive recruiting for WPP’s operating companies globally. Additionally, Frances is responsible talent management and retentions strategies and graduate recruitment which includes the gold standard WPP Fellows Programme.

Frances began her career in marketing at Spillers Foods after reading History at Manchester University. After four years on the client side, Frances moved to the agency world joining Bates, Lintas and Leo Burnett. She was responsible for managing major multinational clients, including Procter and Gamble, Nestle and Unilever.

In 1997 Frances joined an executive search company, recruiting senior level leadership in media and communications. Frances joined WPP in 1999 as their Recruitment Director and since then has built the international Talent Team who works with WPP companies to identify, recruit and develop senior leaders.