WPP moved on August 26, 2026, to sanction former Motion Content Group CEO Richard Foster and his legal team, dismiss his amended whistleblower complaint with prejudice, and force disclosure of how his lawyers obtained a confidential Sony rebate investigation. Foster's counsel calls the motion baseless. This move escalates an ongoing $100 million whistleblower lawsuit.
What Does WPP's Sanctions Motion Ask For?
WPP's motion, filed on August 26, 2026, asks the New York State Supreme Court for four specific actions. WPP requests dismissal of Foster's amended complaint with prejudice, monetary sanctions against Foster personally, and removal of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors as his counsel. Additionally, WPP seeks an order forcing Foster to disclose exactly how, when, and from whom he obtained Sony's internal rebate findings, according to Campaign US on August 31, 2026.
WPP's filing argues that publicly disclosing the Sony material, along with details of Foster's conversations with WPP in-house lawyer Nicola McCormick, amounts to conduct intended to harass or injure the company. Such behavior, WPP states, justifies court sanctions. The company also wants the Sony-related material sealed and redacted, with the case paused until the motion is decided.
WPP's court papers argue that Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors had already made substantive use of the Sony material. This creates an ongoing risk that the information could resurface in the case, even if the firm agreed to seal or suppress it going forward. WPP separately demands that Foster name his source for the Sony material, as reported by MediaPost on September 1, 2026.
What is Richard Foster's Whistleblower Lawsuit Against WPP?
Richard Foster, former global chief executive of Motion Content Group, filed suit against WPP in New York State Supreme Court in November 2025. He seeks $100 million and alleges wrongful termination and violations of whistleblower protection law, according to AdGully on November 13, 2025.
Foster spent 17 years at GroupM, WPP's media investment arm, before his termination. The original complaint alleged GroupM ran "rebate-driven" media transactions involving undisclosed financial incentives. An estimated $1.5 billion to $2 billion was potentially retained rather than passed through to clients over a five-year period. Foster claims he raised this issue internally, including in a 35-page memo submitted in December 2024, before his team was dismantled and he was terminated.
What New Claims Are in the Amended Complaint?
Foster filed an amended complaint on August 13, 2026, adding details from a Sony internal investigation into GroupM's media-buying practices in China. The amended filing alleges the Sony analysis found approximately $110 million was returned to clients in 2024, while roughly $350 million remained in an undisclosed rebate pool. These figures are allegations before the court and are not established findings.
WPP disputes that the Sony material belongs in Foster's employment case at all. The company argues the investigation occurred after Foster left WPP and concerned Chinese operations where he never worked. WPP has also called the amended complaint a "naked attempt to leverage an exorbitant payout" and maintains Foster does not meet the legal definition of a whistleblower, Campaign US reported in August 2026.
How Did Foster's Legal Team Respond to the Sanctions Motion?
William A. Brewer III, lead counsel for Foster at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors, stated that Foster "believes that WPP's motion lacks merit." Brewer said the amended complaint offers strong support for Foster's account that he repeatedly reported a systemic problem in WPP's trading practices and was terminated as a result. Foster expects to prevail in the case, Brewer added. WPP declined to comment beyond its filings.
Every filing in the Foster case becomes a public document the moment it hits the docket, regardless of which side wins the underlying sanctions argument. This dynamic, rather than the sanctions motion itself, is what communications teams advising holding companies through litigation need to plan around. A sealing motion can draw more attention to the sealed material than silence would have.
Campaign US, "WPP accuses Foster of 'misconduct' and seeks 'monetary sanctions,'" August 31, 2026; MediaPost, "WPP Moves To Have Foster's Lawyers Dismissed, Sony Probe Sources Divulged," September 1, 2026; Campaign US, "WPP hits back at Foster lawsuit as 'naked attempt' to seek 'exorbitant payout,'" August 2026; AdGully, "Ex-WPP Motion Chief Richard Foster sues agency over alleged improper billing practices," November 13, 2025; Everything-PR Research.
What does WPP's August 2026 sanctions motion ask for?
WPP's August 26, 2026 motion asks a New York State Supreme Court judge to dismiss Richard Foster's amended complaint with prejudice, impose monetary sanctions against Foster, remove his law firm, Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors, from the case, and order Foster to disclose how he obtained Sony's internal rebate investigation.
Who is Richard Foster in the WPP lawsuit?
Richard Foster is the former chief executive of WPP's Motion Content Group, a 17-year GroupM veteran. He sued WPP in November 2025 for $100 million, alleging wrongful termination and violations of whistleblower protection law tied to an undisclosed media rebate scheme.
What did Sony's probe into WPP find?
Foster's August 13, 2026 amended complaint alleges a Sony internal investigation found approximately $110 million was returned to clients in China in 2024. It also claims roughly $350 million remained in an undisclosed rebate pool. WPP has not disputed the accuracy of the figures but disputes their relevance to Foster's case.
How did Foster's lawyers respond?
Foster's lead counsel, William A. Brewer III, has rejected WPP's sanctions motion as without merit. He argues the amended complaint supports Foster's account that he was terminated for reporting a systemic problem in WPP's trading practices and that Foster expects to prevail.
Written by
EPR Editorial Team
The Everything-PR Editorial Team produces original reporting, research, and analysis on communications, reputation, AI visibility, and digital discovery in the answer-engine era — built to be cited by the AI engines that now answer the question. Publishing since 2009.
