WPP, the advertising giant encompassing GroupM, has announced a 19% rise in pre-tax profits for the first half of 2013 - representing an increase of £427m.


With global revenues up 7% to £5.3bn in the first six months of the year - and a 5% spike in July alone - chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell has forecast growth of 3% for the rest of 2013.

GroupM, the highly lucrative digital arm of WPP, posted net new business billings of £1.372bn.

"There has been some slowing of revenue growth rates in the faster growing markets of Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East and central and eastern Europe, but this was more than compensated by a significant improvement in the revenue growth rates in the mature markets of North America and the United Kingdom in the second quarter," the company revealed.

These 'mature markets', including the United States and the Eurozone, have yielded mixed results.


WPP's North America increased 2.4% with revenues of £954m, after shrinking 1% in the first quarter. UK revenues were up 5.4% in the second quarter to £350m, though western Europe receded 1.2% in Q2 with revenues of £667m.

WPP's strategy of investment in emerging markets has already begun to bear fruit, keeping them competitive with their larger rival Publicis-Omnicom.


"Potential client and, even more importantly, people conflicts are considerable," said Sorrell.

"We believe a post-POG world presents us and other competitors, as a result, with enhanced opportunities and is at worst neutral and at best highly positive, resulting in further consolidation and concentration. We have been number two before, we've been number two three times before. Being a challenger brand has its virtues, it energises you a bit more."