ONE of the world’s biggest advertising agencies is trying to sell its stake in a Zimbabwe company masterminding the re-election of President Robert Mugabe.
WPP, which owns a huge raft of global Public Relations companies including  Burson-Marsteller, Cohn & Wolfe, GCI, Hill & Knowlton and Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, has found itself in the embarrassing position of apparently aiding the re-election of Mugabe.
WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrel – one of the world’s richest men – told Radio 4 that he was keen to sell his 25 per cent stake in the advertising company, run by Mugabe’s daughter, “as soon as possible.”
The Zimbabwean advertising company is said to be orchestrating the election campaign of Mugabe whose dictatorial regime  has been roundly condemned by almost everyone.
“There is no reason whatsoever for us to be associated with the Mugabe regime or the campaign for his re-election,” Sorrel declared.

Meanwhile The Times brands a London based mining firm’s £200million investment in Zimbabwe as an ‘outrage’.
So it’s good to see that WPP at least, appear to have discovered an ethical basis to their business, albeit belatedly.
Although cynics might consider Mugabe an easy target, it is encouraging that others agree with Sound Communication that there is room in business for a more ethically-based approach.
Hopefully, we can now look forward to WPP making a significant donation from its mind-boggling profits to social, educational and economic programmes in Zimbabwe – once that blighted country is democratic and free.