MANILA, JANUARY 21, 2013 – Havas has restructured its media operations with the creation of the "Havas Media Group", which will include all of Havas’s media agencies – fully incorporating and rebranding its media brand MPG and its digital brand Media Contacts, and Arena Media. The rebrand is supported by a new simplified structure that places its digital expertise and content marketing at the core of its operations. This move brings the media side of the business in line with the structure of Havas’s creative division, Havas Creative Group, composed of the Havas Worldwide global network and Arnold Worldwide micro-network.
In the Philippines, Havas Media Group is represented by the partnership of marketing legend Jos Ortega, media maestro Hermie De Leon, multi-awarded creative director Tony Sarmiento and digital maverick Eduardo Mapa Jr – collectively known as Havas Media Ortega. HVMO was formally launched last year, almost immediately earning the respect of other offices in the local advertising and digital industries, after acquiring a number of coveted accounts.
"The rebranding and integration of Havas Media is a step forward to giving our clients focused and innovative solutions as they navigate the changing media landscape,” said HVMO chairman Jos Ortega.
Havas Media Group Alfonso Rodés commented: “The explosion of digital media means that no one can afford to deliver a siloed approach to communications. This new media model integrates our digital expertise ‘at the core’ of our organisation, promoting greater agility between all our teams and disciplines. It’s a simple yet progressive move that enables us to harness the digital transformation that has hit all types of media. By reorganising our teams, changing the lines of reporting and investing in building company-wide digital fluency, we put ourselves in a unique position in the industry. Our scale and simplicity allows us to present clients with a shared vision that meets consumer demand for more meaningful connections.”
The new media organization allows Havas to continue its strategy to be the first major communications holding company to invest in establishing digital excellence at the center of all its agencies around the world. The new structure will place its specialised units such as Artemis (global data management network), Mobext (mobile network), Socialyse (social media), and Affiperf (global trading desk) so that they are more accessible to the teams from both Havas Media Group and Havas Creative Group.
On the content marketing side, Havas Sports & Entertainment will support this structure with its 36 international offices, alongside such as Cake (Paris, London, New York) Havas Event and Havas Productions.
To manage this new organization the group has formed a new executive committee managed by Alfonso Rodés as the CEO of Havas Media Group. Dominique Delport, CEO of Havas Media France is appointed as global managing director for the Havas Media Group. Reporting to Alfonso Rodés, CEO Havas Media Group, he will be in charge of the commercial activity for all countries and all brands, strategy, new business, digital integration and intelligence. Michel Sibony takes on the role of “global head of middle office”, tasked to manage all global planning and buying operations as well as the group’s digital and specialist offers. Jordi Ustrell, “global head of back office” will oversee the global support services such as IT, HR, legal and finance
Sibony said: “We need to guarantee our clients more consistency in every market and more speed in the delivery of this change to provide greater effectiveness and more efficiency when leveraging the new technological given by data management and technological platforms.”
The Havas Media brand will be relaunched on January 24 with a new identity to reflect the tighter, more integrated organisational structure.
“Our clients need change and innovation more than ever because beyond media, digital affects any business with great opportunities but also potential disruption," concludes Delport. "Understanding the relationship between brands and consumers, especially for the growing digital generation, is essential. Our aim is to form a new company that lies at the intersection of the traditional international holding groups and the new style of innovative, digital companies. It’s an exciting challenge for our clients and our teams.”
