Havas names Matt Weiss as Global Chief Marketing Officer of Havas Worldwide

PUTEAUX, France, Dec. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Following their recent successful rebranding, Havas Worldwide announced today that Matt Weiss will join the network as Global Chief Marketing Officer. In his new role, Weiss will work closely with key leaders across the Havas Worldwide network to drive growth for the agency and its clients. Based in the New York office, Weiss will officially begin his new role in January 2013.

"Matt joins our team at an exciting time for Havas Worldwide: We're coming off one of our strongest ever years for new business. The rebranding has underscored our unique integrated structure and digital-at-the-core model while acting as a real growth accelerator," said Havas CEO David Jones.

"Matt's experience working with some of the world's largest and most innovative brands will be a huge asset in driving our clients' businesses forward and with it our own growth. He has an impressive track record in winning new business, gets both brand and digital, and shares our enthusiasm for the enormous opportunity that the digital revolution presents to our clients and our own business."

Weiss joins the network just three months after Havas renamed its 316 offices to Havas Worldwide. This operation was a major success and drove momentum in the business around the world. In the last two months the company has won Louis Vuitton globally, Berluti globally, Diet Coke in Europe, the European Central Bank, and La Poste together with the global Unilever data business.

Weiss replaces Naomi Troni, who was recently appointed CEO, Havas Worldwide Southeast Asia. Troni has worked within the network since 2004 in various roles in the UK and the US and is a member of the Havas Worldwide Executive Committee.

In taking this position Weiss commented, "I was drawn to the scope and scale of Havas Worldwide and their unique position as being one of the most agile, collaborative, and digitally innovative of all the global networks. Equally intriguing is their unique view of the changing marketing landscape - a deep understanding of how social media and corporate responsibility are intrinsically linked to drive business results for clients."

Weiss is not a newcomer to global marketing, having spent eight years at McCann Worldgroup, first as new business director for McCann NY and then as Chief Growth Officer for the network. In that time he was credited with bringing significant wins to the agency such as Intel, Nikon, Verizon Wireless, Holiday Inn, and Weight Watchers, to name a few. Prior to that he was part of the pitch winning team that brought MasterCard's "Priceless" campaign to market. For four years he ran that business—first domestically and then globally—forming the founding US team credited with work that won almost every creative award in the business.

In 2010 he left to join kbs+ as Chief of Staff, where he was part of the executive leadership team running the agency and overseeing business development. Weiss was also active managing multiple accounts, which he either won or expanded within the agency, including Goldman Sachs, Intel, and HomeGoods.

"I am incredibly energized by the entrepreneurial talent and unique offerings across Havas Worldwide. David and his team are committed to superb creative and progressive initiatives such as One Young World and it's clear they understand what truly matters to clients today."

About Havas

Havas (Euronext Paris: HAV.PA) is one of the world's largest global advertising and communications services groups. Headquartered in Paris, Havas operates through its two Business Units, Havas Creative and Havas Media.
Havas Creative incorporates the Havas Worldwide (www.havasworldwide.com) network - formerly Euro RSCG Worldwide - (316 offices in 75 countries), the Arnold (www.arn.com) micronetwork (16 agencies in 15 countries on 5 continents) as well as other agencies with strong local identities.

Havas Media (www.havasmedia.com) operates in over 100 countries and incorporates the MPG, Arena Media, Havas Sports & Entertainment and Havas Digital networks.

A multicultural and decentralized Group, Havas is present in more than 100 countries through its networks of agencies and contractual affiliations. The Group offers a broad range of communications services, including digital, advertising, direct marketing, media planning and buying, corporate communications, sales promotion, design, human resources, sports marketing, multimedia interactive communications and public relations. Havas employs approximately 15,000 people. Further information about Havas is available on the company's website: www.havas.com

About Havas Worldwide

Havas Worldwide, formerly known as Euro RSCG Worldwide, is a leading integrated marketing communications agency and was the first agency to be named Global Agency of the Year by both Advertising Age and Campaign in the same year. The Havas Worldwide Network is made up of 11,000 employees in 120 cities and 75 countries, with 316 offices and provides advertising, marketing, corporate communications, and digital and social media solutions to clients, including Air France, BNP Paribas, Charles Schwab, Citigroup, Danone Group, IBM, Kraft Foods, Lacoste, Merck, Pernod Ricard, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Reckitt Benckiser, Sanofi, and Volvo. Headquartered in New York, Havas Worldwide is the largest unit of the Havas group, a world leader in communications (Euronext Paris SA: HAV.PA)

Contact:
Lorella Gessa
Communications Director
Havas Group
+33 (01) 58 47 90 36
[email protected]

Yvonne Bond
Global Communications Director
Havas Worldwide
(212) 886-2035
[email protected]

SOURCE Havas Worldwide