Appt of New Non-exec Chairman

WPP Group PLC
27 February 2001
                                                              27  February 2001



                          WPP APPOINTS NEW CHAIRMAN


Philip Lader succeeds Hamish Maxwell



WPP Group plc ('WPP') is delighted to announce the appointment of  Philip
Lader, the outgoing US Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, as Non-executive Chairman.   Philip Lader will succeed
Hamish Maxwell, who is retiring as expected.



South Carolina-born Philip Lader, aged 54, has had a distinguished
international career in business, education and politics.  Since 1997, he has
been the US Envoy in London.  He previously served in  President Clinton's
Cabinet as Administrator of the US Small Business Administration, was White
House Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant to the President and Deputy Director
for Management of the Office of Management and Budget.



Before entering government service, Philip Lader was Executive Vice President
of the late Sir James Goldsmith's US holdings, including America's largest
private landholdings, sixth largest forest products company, largest computer
supplies distributor, and oil and gas interests. Lader had formerly been
President of Sea Pines Company, the award-winning developer of Hilton Head
Island and other large scale resort communities and President of universities
in his home state South Carolina, and in Australia.



As Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Lader walked the length and breadth of
Great Britain and concentrated on US-UK trade and commerce, bilateral
collaboration in emerging technologies and the Northern Ireland peace process.



Lader has also been appointed Senior Advisor at Morgan Stanley International,
the global financial services company, and will be affiliated with a prominent
Southeast US law firm.



Philip Lader was educated at  Duke University and the University of Michigan
and holds law degrees from Oxford University and Harvard Law School.  He has
been awarded honorary doctorates from 12 American and British universities and
colleges.



We say farewell to Hamish Maxwell with real regret.  Our chairman since 1996,
he has brought warmth, wisdom and an immense body of experience to the service
of our company.  We are forever indebted to him - and wish him all happiness
in his forthcoming full retirement.




Contact:          Feona McEwan, WPP London
                  Tel [phone]
                  www.wpp.com