The former head of WPP’s Motion Content Group, the company that makes shows like “Love Is Blind,” is suing the advertising agency. He claims he was fired for reporting what he believed were dishonest billing issues.
Richard Foster filed a lawsuit on Tuesday in New York federal court, claiming he was fired after warning company leaders about what he called improper “kickback practices.” He alleged these practices involved the company’s rebate programs and that he believed they were harmful, illegal, and posed a serious risk to the company.
For 17 years, Foster headed WPP’s media group, which creates and helps fund “Love Island” and approximately 2,500 other TV shows globally. In 2023, this group was renamed GroupM Motion Entertainment in North America.
In his lawsuit, Foster claimed that GroupM used money from client advertising budgets to negotiate deals with media companies. These deals included things like cash rebates and discounted advertising space, but Foster alleges GroupM didn’t always reveal these financial benefits to its clients.
According to the lawsuit, the company made between $3 and $4 billion in sales through rebate offers over the past five years, but wrongly kept around $1.5 to $2 billion of that money.
Instead of addressing the problems, Foster alleges that executives sidelined him and his team, eventually firing them to hide their own wrongdoing.
WPP disputed the claims.
A spokesperson for WPP confirmed the company is facing a lawsuit filed in New York State Court by a former employee who was affected by a recent company restructuring. They stated that the court hasn’t made any decisions on the claims yet, and WPP intends to strongly defend against them.
So, I recently found out that back in December, Foster put together this really detailed 35-page report for the company. It basically said we could make a ton of money by starting a new entertainment branch! But, he also cautioned everyone that the way they were planning on using rebates could potentially cause some legal trouble and really damage the company’s reputation. It’s a bit worrying, honestly, but also exciting to see them exploring new ideas.
Foster claimed he warned an executive that WPP and GroupM were heading for trouble, stating they were ignoring the risks and nobody wanted to listen.
In January, Foster stated that Brian Lesser, the global CEO of GroupM, asked to discuss a report with him and voiced worries about potential legal issues with GroupM Trading, promising to look into them. Shortly after, Foster said he received a text message from Lesser requesting a revised version of the report, one that didn’t directly criticize GroupM Trading, as Lesser felt it would be more collaborative.
Eventually, Foster said he was terminated on July 10. He is seeking $100 million in damages.
Richard Foster spent almost twenty years helping to create a highly successful media and entertainment company. According to his lawyer, William A. Brewer III of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors, Foster was fired after demanding openness and honesty at WPP. This lawsuit, the statement says, will reveal widespread wrongdoing and the consequences faced by an executive who wouldn’t compromise his principles.
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2025-11-12 23:01