diff --git a/src/RealCV.Infrastructure/Services/CompanyVerifierService.cs b/src/RealCV.Infrastructure/Services/CompanyVerifierService.cs
index 19055e6..e06937f 100644
--- a/src/RealCV.Infrastructure/Services/CompanyVerifierService.cs
+++ b/src/RealCV.Infrastructure/Services/CompanyVerifierService.cs
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ public sealed class CompanyVerifierService : ICompanyVerifierService
         ["Bain"] = new[] { "BAIN & COMPANY UK LIMITED" },
 
         // Advertising & Media
-        ["WPP"] = new[] { "WPP PLC" },
+        ["WPP"] = new[] { "WPP 2005 LIMITED", "WPP GROUP", "WIRE & PLASTIC PRODUCTS" },
 
         // Fintech
         ["Checkout.com"] = new[] { "CHECKOUT.COM LIMITED", "CHECKOUT LTD" },
@@ -308,6 +308,61 @@ public sealed class CompanyVerifierService : ICompanyVerifierService
                     "Company name could not be verified against official records");
             }
 
+            // Check for direct alias match first - if we searched for a known alias and found it exactly, accept it
+            // This handles cases where AI might reject valid matches (e.g., "WPP 2005 LIMITED" for "WPP")
+            var directAliasMatch = FindDirectAliasMatch(companyName, allCandidates.Values.ToList(), startDate);
+            if (directAliasMatch is not null)
+            {
+                _logger.LogInformation(
+                    "Direct alias match for '{ClaimedName}' to '{MatchedName}' (known trading name alias)",
+                    companyName, directAliasMatch.Value.Item.Title);
+
+                var aliasDetails = await _companiesHouseClient.GetCompanyAsync(directAliasMatch.Value.Item.CompanyNumber);
+                await CacheCompanyAsync(directAliasMatch.Value.Item, aliasDetails);
+
+                var aliasIncDate = DateHelpers.ParseDate(directAliasMatch.Value.Item.DateOfCreation);
+                var aliasDissDate = DateHelpers.ParseDate(directAliasMatch.Value.Item.DateOfCessation);
+
+                CheckIncorporationDate(flags, startDate, aliasIncDate, directAliasMatch.Value.Item.Title);
+                CheckDissolutionDate(flags, endDate, aliasDissDate, directAliasMatch.Value.Item.CompanyStatus, directAliasMatch.Value.Item.Title);
+                CheckDormantCompany(flags, aliasDetails?.Accounts?.LastAccounts?.Type, jobTitle, directAliasMatch.Value.Item.Title);
+                CheckCompanySizeVsRole(flags, aliasDetails?.Accounts?.LastAccounts?.Type, jobTitle, directAliasMatch.Value.Item.Title);
+
+                var (aliasJobPlausible, aliasJobNotes) = CheckJobTitlePlausibility(jobTitle, directAliasMatch.Value.Item.CompanyType);
+                if (aliasJobPlausible == false)
+                {
+                    flags.Add(new CompanyVerificationFlag
+                    {
+                        Type = "ImplausibleJobTitle",
+                        Severity = "Critical",
+                        Message = aliasJobNotes ?? "Job title requires verification",
+                        ScoreImpact = -15
+                    });
+                }
+
+                return new CompanyVerificationResult
+                {
+                    ClaimedCompany = companyName,
+                    MatchedCompanyName = directAliasMatch.Value.Item.Title,
+                    MatchedCompanyNumber = directAliasMatch.Value.Item.CompanyNumber,
+                    MatchScore = directAliasMatch.Value.Score,
+                    IsVerified = true,
+                    VerificationNotes = "Matched via known trading name alias",
+                    ClaimedStartDate = startDate,
+                    ClaimedEndDate = endDate,
+                    CompanyType = directAliasMatch.Value.Item.CompanyType,
+                    CompanyStatus = directAliasMatch.Value.Item.CompanyStatus,
+                    IncorporationDate = aliasIncDate,
+                    DissolutionDate = aliasDissDate,
+                    AccountsCategory = aliasDetails?.Accounts?.LastAccounts?.Type,
+                    SicCodes = aliasDetails?.SicCodes ?? directAliasMatch.Value.Item.SicCodes,
+                    ClaimedJobTitle = jobTitle,
+                    JobTitlePlausible = aliasJobPlausible,
+                    JobTitleNotes = aliasJobNotes,
+                    Flags = flags
+                };
+            }
+
             // Use AI to find the best semantic match from all candidates
             _logger.LogDebug("Using AI to match '{CompanyName}' against {Count} candidates", companyName, allCandidates.Count);
 
@@ -770,6 +825,57 @@ public sealed class CompanyVerifierService : ICompanyVerifierService
 
     #region Helper Methods
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Checks if any candidate directly matches a known trading name alias.
+    /// This allows bypassing AI matching for known aliases where the AI might incorrectly reject.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static (CompaniesHouseSearchItem Item, int Score)? FindDirectAliasMatch(
+        string companyName,
+        List<CompaniesHouseSearchItem> candidates,
+        DateOnly? claimedStartDate)
+    {
+        var normalized = companyName.Trim();
+
+        // Check if this company name has known aliases
+        if (!TradingNameAliases.TryGetValue(normalized, out var aliases))
+        {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        // Look for candidates that exactly match one of the known aliases
+        foreach (var alias in aliases)
+        {
+            var aliasUpper = alias.ToUpperInvariant();
+
+            foreach (var candidate in candidates)
+            {
+                if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(candidate.Title))
+                    continue;
+
+                var titleUpper = candidate.Title.ToUpperInvariant();
+
+                // Check for exact match or very close match (fuzzy score >= 95)
+                var fuzzyScore = Fuzz.Ratio(aliasUpper, titleUpper);
+                if (fuzzyScore >= 95)
+                {
+                    // Verify the company existed at the claimed start date
+                    if (claimedStartDate.HasValue)
+                    {
+                        var incDate = DateHelpers.ParseDate(candidate.DateOfCreation);
+                        if (incDate.HasValue && incDate.Value > claimedStartDate.Value)
+                        {
+                            continue; // Company didn't exist yet
+                        }
+                    }
+
+                    return (candidate, 100); // 100% match via known alias
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+
     private async Task<CompanyCache?> FindCachedMatchAsync(string companyName)
     {
         var cutoffDate = DateTime.UtcNow.AddDays(-CacheExpirationDays);