MCN, Part of IPG, Bolsters Leadership Team in MENAT; Appoints Lizzie Dewhurst as Chief Communications Officer
Thursday 22nd February 2024, Dubai, UAE: MCN (Middle East Communications Network) – a leading marketing communications group in MENAT, part of the Interpublic Group – has appointed Lizzie Dewhurst as its Chief Communications Officer. The former Head of International Communications & PR at Publicis Groupe joins the leadership team, reporting to Ghassan Harfouche, Group CEO MCN MENAT, and President McCann Worldgroup APAC.
In the newly created role, Lizzie will be responsible for the brand profile, reputation management and marketing of MCN and its portfolio of agencies including McCann Worldgroup, IPG Mediabrands, FP7McCann, MullenLowe, UM, Magna, Initiative, KINESSO, MRM, McCann Health, Momentum, Craft, Weber Shandwick, Commonwealth//McCann, Jack Morton, Octagon and Current Global. MCN has circa 2,000 employees spanning 11 markets in MENAT. Across its strong agency brands, MCN offers integrated marketing solutions that build enduring
brands and business growth for its clients. MCN’s unique and inclusive culture has been recognized by Great Places To Work (GPTW) consecutively for 2023 and 2024.
Lizzie joins MCN from Publicis Groupe where she was responsible for overseeing International corporate communications, media relations, executive profiles for agency and clients, crisis, and reputation management. While building an aligned and consistent brand cross-market for Publicis Groupe, Lizzie was integral to key achievements, including Ad Age’s Holding Company of the Year (2022), Adweek’s International Agency of the Year (2021), the launch of Working with Cancer, which was awarded a Health Grand Prix Lion (2023) and most recently, the launch of the Groupe’s AI strategy. Her leadership in PR for both agency and clients has generated high-profile coverage and helped secure major Cannes award wins for clients including Heineken and Powerade.
Having lived and worked in the US, Europe, and the Middle East, Lizzie draws on international experience, from previous roles where she led communications globally for Publicis Worldwide, Leo Burnett, and Saatchi + Saatchi, and worked within the global communications teams at TBWA\Worldwide and AKQA. Lizzie regularly judges PR Categories for industry award shows and has featured as a university guest lecturer.
Here’s what they said
Ghassan Harfouche, Group CEO IPG/MCN MENAT and President McCann Worldgroup APAC commented,
“As a leading marketing and advertising networks in the region, MCN partners with clients to build enduring brands. Our rich and diverse heritage, combined with future-facing agencies and disciplines, ensures we deliver truly integrated and sustained brand value and growth for clients. I’m happy to welcome Lizzie, who brings broad multinational communications experience across agency, holding company and brands, and know that she will ensure added value for our agencies and clients.”
Lizzie Dewhurst, Chief Communications Officer at MCN, added,
“MCN’s prominent positioning and its strong workplace culture, combined with the significant growth trajectory and diversification of the region gave it an obvious appeal to me. I am excited to be joining a dynamic business in a fast-growing economy and look forward to bringing the company’s story to life, building profile, impact and growth for the business and its clients.”
ABOUT MCN
MCN is a leading advertising and marketing communications agency groups in MENAT, which partners with clients to build enduring brands. MCN’S agencies are global brands, spanning creative, media, digital, PR, brand experience and specialist marketing, within McCann Worldgroup and IPG Mediabrands, including FP7McCann, MullenLowe, UM, Magna, Initiative, KINESSO, MRM, McCann Health, Momentum, Craft, Weber Shandwick, Commonwealth//McCann, Jack Morton, Octagon and Current Global. MCN has circa 2,000 employees across 11 markets. MCN is committed to cultivating an inclusive environment where talents can thrive and flourish. This commitment has led to the company and its agency brands to be recognised as a Great Place to Work consecutively in 2023 and 2024.
Read More: UM MENAT Elevates Global Expansion for Clients Through Google’s International Growth Agency Program
Havas Names Joji Jacob as Regional CCO for SEA and North Asia
Havas, the international communications agency, has strengthened its position as a leader in North and Southeast Asia (SEA). Joji Jacob has been named Regional Chief Creative Officer for both regions. The choice is consistent with Havas’s aggressive and updated growth plan. Jacob will continue to serve as BLKJ Havas Singapore’s creative partner and co-founder in addition to his new role. It will guarantee that Havas’ artistic pursuits combine innovation and continuity.
Havas appoints Joji Jacob as SEA and North Asia CCO
Jacob will take on full responsibility in his new position for directing the creative direction and making sure it integrates seamlessly into client engagements throughout the region. Jacob is an established figure who chairs Havas’ APAC board and is on the Global Creative Council. Along with other council members, he will work closely to advance creative excellence in local offices and investigate fresh, cutting-edge approaches to storytelling, all with the primary goal of forging deep connections.
Having worked in the advertising industry for over two decades, Jacob’s highlights include major contributions to well-known agencies in Singapore and India. BLKJ, which was co-founded in 2016 and joined the Havas family in 2021, has amassed a distinguished clientele that includes prestigious companies like Great Eastern, the Republic of Singapore Air Force, the Economic Development Board of Singapore, JLL, and many more.
Read More: Havas Acquires EPROFESSIONAL, a Hamburg-based Digital Performance Marketing Agency
Career Highlights
Jacob spent nine years at DDB as Group Executive Creative Director before joining BLKJ Havas. The agency became one of the most decorated at major industry shows under his direction, winning multiple awards. Jacob has been named Singapore’s Most Influential Creative Director by the Institute of Advertising Singapore. He has also been named Southeast Asia’s Creative Person of the Year by Campaign for the past two years in a row. Additionally, he has been a member of important juries for prestigious international and regional award shows. These include Spikes Asia, One Show, Cannes, D&AD, and LIA. Havas is taking a major step toward enhancing its creative capabilities. Moreover, it is expanding into Southeast and North Asia with this leadership enhancement.
Here’s what they said
Rana Barua expressed his views stating,
As a network, our united focus is consistently directed towards delivering clients a meaningful experience through exceptional work, achieved by investing in the best talent. Joji, with his extensive experience and creative strength across the region, will enhance our overall creative output, and play a universal role in fostering positive momentum for all markets, building towards the goal of One Asia. This appointment underscores Havas’ commitment to cultivating top-tier creative leadership, driving the creative mandate and signifies a significant stride toward achieving our growth objectives in these dynamic markets.
Joji Jacob on his appointment said,
I’ve spent 20 years as a creative, with the last ten years spent leading a creative business. So, I step into this role not just with experience but also with a beginner’s mindset. Rana and I have been discussing the many plans and ambitions and my job is to help create the conditions that enable our people make the best work of their lives for our clients, and I find myself at the right place and at the right time. Havas is a place where the entrepreneurial spirit thrives, meaning it’s not set in its ways. We can respond to a rapidly changing marketplace with agility which I find exciting. And Rana’s energy is infectious, that’s one bug I’m happy to catch.
Read More: Havas May Become A Separate Entity As Vivendi Considers Three-Way Split
Lintas Live Secures PR and Communications Mandate for Impresario’s SOCIAL
Lintas Live, a digital-first creative public relations agency, secured the PR and communications mandate for SOCIAL, Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Private Limited’s iconic flagship brand. Following a year of notable growth and exceptional performance in the retail and hospitality sectors, this partnership with Lintas Live makes it the perfect option to enhance SOCIAL’s brand presence and broaden its appeal to an ever-expanding group of young and forward-thinking consumers. In a competitive pitching process, the brand prevailed.
Lintas Live wins PR and Communications mandate for Impresario’s flagship SOCIAL
Since its debut, Lintas Live has refined its ability to give brands an inordinate amount of attention by coming up with ideas that are worthy of conversation. Lintas Live will collaborate with SOCIAL to craft compelling narratives, engage key stakeholders, and strengthen brand loyalty among youth by utilizing its creativity and in-depth industry insights.
SOCIAL- a new hangout place for youth
India’s favorite neighborhood café, SOCIAL, is renowned for its lively and distinctive experiences. Young people in India prefer to hang out there, form relationships, and find like-minded groups. The brand has grown in popularity and scale over time. This is thanks to its creative take on dining, café culture, programming, and collaborative workspaces.
Read More: Savvytree Wins Digital Marketing Mandate for Kisaan Se Kitchen Tak
Lintas Live’s remarkable portfolio post the SOCIAL mandate
With SOCIAL on board, Lintas Live’s portfolio now features a noteworthy addition. This collaboration further solidifies Lintas Live’s dedication to providing cutting-edge integrated PR services. Moreover, it solidifies the agency’s position as the top choice for communication among major retailers and hotel chains.
Here’s what they said
Divya Aggarwal, Chief Growth Officer, Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Private Limited, said,
We are delighted to have Lintas Live onboard, an agency that exhibits an exceptional knowledge of our brand DNA and understands our growth priorities. We have aggressive plans for India, and we needed an equally agile, creatively bold, and strategically sound partner to achieve our aspirations. I believe Lintas Live, given its legacy and success, is the perfect partner for us.
Ameer Ismail, President, of Lintas Live, commenting on the partnership, added,
We are absolutely excited to win and be entrusted with this mandate for SOCIAL. Our team is all-set to leverage our deep industry expertise, consumer understanding and deep knowledge of the hospitality industry and dynamics to further strengthen SOCIAL’s market position and deepen connections with its growing tribe of consumers. Together, we are eager to chart new heights in the realm of strategic communications, to elevate SOCIAL’s brand presence and match the brands ambition with impactful PR and communications.
Read More: Ameer Ismail’s Decades-Long PR Odyssey: Navigating a Dynamic Landscape
Havas May Become A Separate Entity As Vivendi Considers Three-Way Split
The share price of French media conglomerate Vivendi has surged. This is a result of its potential split into three distinct listed companies. In an attempt to increase the value of his company, French billionaire Vincent Bollore is considering dissolving his vast media and entertainment conglomerate, Vivendi SE. The plan calls for the roughly €10 billion ($10.9 billion) French conglomerate to be divided into three separate businesses: the Pay-TV division, Canal+; the advertising and communications branch, Havas; and a business that includes its majority stake in the publishing group, Lagardère Group.
Vivendi contemplates a three-way split
The company argues that this is because, as a unified entity, its shares are sold at a discount, which limits its capacity to carry out its intended expansion plan. The value of the various entities would be maximized by splitting them into three companies. Vivendi claims that splitting itself into three sections will allow it to fully realize the development potential of all of its operations. Each of its three business divisions is currently seeing rapid growth in the global market, which is accompanied by a wealth of investment opportunities.
Rise in revenue and profit valuations
Should the split proceed, Havas and Canal+, Vivendi’s primary revenue and profit stream, will be spun off as independent businesses. After separating from their parent company, this could result in valuations of roughly €3 billion for Havas and €6.1 billion for Canal+. Regarding its €1.3 billion ($1.4 billion) ownership of the former telecom monopoly Telecom Italia SpA, Vivendi is also exploring options.
Subsequently, the organization intends to establish a third publicly traded division as an investment firm. It would accommodate Lagardère and encompass additional listed and unlisted assets in media and entertainment firms. To investigate a possible split, Vivendi will consult its “usual” banks and advisors. Any strategy must benefit all parties involved and consider tax implications. The market valuation of the three distinct entities might be roughly 40% higher than their current valuation.
Read More: Havas Announces Majority Stake Acquisition in PR Pundit in India
Vivendi’s split from Universal Music Group
The news comes two years after Vivendi split from Universal Music Group in a highly successful IPO. This gave shareholders ownership of 60% of the company’s shares. The board is now permitted to investigate the possibility of dividing into three companies. Ad holding company Havas Group would once again become an independent publicly traded company if the plan is approved. This was the case until Vivendi purchased it in 2017.
It’s an indication of how Bollore, the industrialist and corporate raider who invested in Vivendi for the first time in 2011, is still shaping the organization. He is essentially leading even though he is no longer the chair. 2018 saw him fold into another business he owned, the advertising agency Havas, after first selling off his video game and telecom assets. At the time, he held just under 30% of the group’s shares.
Vivendi’s efforts for business synergies and cohesion
For a considerable time, investors and Vivendi have been frustrated by the group’s operating businesses’ lack of coherence and synergies. Since his father’s official retirement in 2022, Yannick Bollore has been working to make things better. Vivendi declared that it would evaluate the viability of the suggested split. It would take into account the tax implications for shareholders, in collaboration with banks and other advisors. There was no deadline given for finishing the assessment, but information will be shared “in due course.” The split plans were announced only a few weeks after Vivendi effectively acquired the rival Lagardère group, expanding its holdings to include publishing house Hachette.
Read More: Havas Acquires EPROFESSIONAL, a Hamburg-based Digital Performance Marketing Agency
Havas Announces Majority Stake in Klareco Communications
Havas has revealed that it has paid an undisclosed amount to acquire a majority stake in Klareco Communications. The most reputable corporate, financial, and strategic communications consultant in Southeast Asia, Klareco Communications is a Singapore-based organization. Havas determined that the Singapore-based organization would be the best place to start the long-term APAC expansion of H/Advisors, its strategic communications advisory division. H/Advisors Klareco will be the new name of Klareco Communications upon closing.
Havas acquires a majority stake
The acquisition takes place at a moment when the importance of a company’s reputation is greater than ever. Global reputation protection and strategic communication are more important than ever as institutions and individuals deal with complex challenges brought on by geopolitical events, technological advancements, and climate change.
Singapore- the global hub for innovation and business development
Acknowledged as a worldwide center for innovation and business growth, Singapore will play a pivotal role in helping H/Advisors guide its global clientele through this macroeconomic landscape. Using its integrated Village approach, it will also further solidify Havas’ presence in Singapore and add new capabilities to better serve its clientele. Klareco Communications’ inclusion is a significant advancement in H/Advisors’ strategic expansion plan. Renowned for its award-winning work across the entire communications spectrum, the agency is a trusted advisor to top multinational corporations and Asian-based businesses. It has advised on some of Singapore’s biggest financial transactions, protected and enhanced corporate reputations, and addressed the most difficult business challenges, including cyberattacks.
H/Advisors previous acquisitions
This new addition is a major achievement for H/Advisors in the wake of the successful launch of H/Advisors in Dubai earlier this year and the recent acquisition of Cunha Vas & Associados, a leading PR and communications consultancy in Portugal, and Australian Public Affairs, a renowned and successful public affairs agency in Australia. It has made a name for itself as a pioneer in public affairs, transformation advisory, and financial communications. This calculated move is in line with the growing demand from clients looking for all-encompassing, diversified support during their journey of transformation.
Read More: Havas ME’s Alejandro Fischer: Shaping Advertising’s Landscape with Tech Brilliance
Restructured Roles
After restructuring in less than a year, H/Advisors has grown into a vibrant international network with 1500 specialists spread across 23 countries. H/Advisors Klareco and its senior management group will play a major role in the strategic advisory network. CEO and co-founder Ang Shih-Huei and managing director and co-founder Mark Worthington comprise the local leadership. They will join the Asia board to assist in guiding and leading the expansion of H/Advisors in Asia-Pacific.
Here’s what they said
Yannick Bolloré, chairman and Global CEO, Havas, and chairman, Vivendi, said,
Our partnership with Klareco allows us to draw on their breadth of experience and knowledge of the Asian market as we continue to expand our Havas presence in APAC. We are delighted to welcome the well-respected Klareco team onboard and look forward to achieving great things together.
Stéphane Fouks, executive chairman, H/Advisors, and vice president, Havas added,
2023 has been an outstanding year of growth for H/Advisors, with the opening of our Dubai office and the acquisitions of CV&A (Portugal) & APA (Australia) and now our partnership with Klareco, which will strengthen our offering not only in APAC but globally. Klareco is the leading communications advisory in Southeast Asia, and we are delighted to welcome Shih-Huei, Mark and the talent and experience they will bring to H/Advisors.
Ang Shih-Huei, CEO and co-founder of H/Advisors Klareco commented,
As an independent firm, we have already been working with some of the largest MNCs and leading Asian headquartered companies. H/Advisors allows us to deepen our core communications offering across corporate, financial, digital and public affairs, and expand our expertise in fast growing areas such as sustainability and change communications, to ensure we continue to deliver best practice for our clients. Our teams are excited for this new chapter ahead.
Mark Worthington, managing director and co-founder of H/Advisors Klareco stated,
We are delighted to partner with H/Advisors to enhance our standing as a landing point for international firms coming to, or expanding in Asia. Increasingly, boards and management face complex communications challenges as they expand internationally. We are excited to build on our offering to support these challenges, ensuring we have expertise and relationships in the markets our clients need.
Read More: Havas Announces Majority Stake Acquisition in PR Pundit in India
