Havas Worldwide Announces Senior Executive Promotions

NEW YORK, April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- David Jones, global CEO of Havas Worldwide and Euro RSCG Worldwide, announced today that Matt Ryan, global CMO of Euro RSCG, has been promoted to president of global brands for Euro RSCG Worldwide and global CMO of Havas Worldwide. Naomi Troni, formerly global new business director of Euro RSCG Worldwide, has been promoted to global CMO of that company.

The moves reflect a period of major successes and expansion for Havas Worldwide, one of the world's largest marketing communications agencies. Recent months at Euro RSCG Worldwide, the world's largest agency network by number of global accounts, have seen major new business wins with international brands such as Heineken, AkzoNobel's Dulux, Credit Suisse and Pernod Ricard's Jacob's Creek, plus major digital wins including IBM's global digital business, EDF, Heineken and Lacoste, and being named to the Unilever global digital roster. In 2009, Euro was named digital agency of record and/or social media agency of record for such clients as Barilla, Clearasil, GSK, Ikea, method, P&G, sanofi-aventis, Shire Pharmaceuticals and Sprint.

"We put digital at the core of our agencies globally back in 2005, a model that has proven very successful for us. But the other big agencies are now starting to do the same and catch up," said Jones. "Matt and Naomi's key challenge in their new roles will be to ensure that we stay at the forefront of the industry, especially in digital. They are two of the company's brightest stars, and these appointments reflect their achievements and our ambition."

Ryan joined Euro RSCG from Havas sister company Arnold Worldwide, where he was executive director running the global Volvo relationship. Prior to joining Arnold, Ryan was consulting to Gillette, P&G, Wyeth, Novartis, Ford, Shell, Absolut Vodka, Mitsubishi and other leading global marketers on agency model configuration, agency selection and compensation as a principle of Roth Associates.

During Ryan's tenure as global CMO of Euro RSCG Worldwide, he led global new business efforts, helped develop best practices for the network's business development organization and assisted in growing global brands.

"I've spent the last 10 years of my career working hand in hand with global advertisers to help ensure that they are building brands and businesses in the most efficient yet lasting way possible," said Ryan. "Working with global organizations is not only the area where I have spent the majority of my time, it's also the area of our industry I enjoy the most."

Troni, who spent two years as Euro's global new business director, will now be responsible for managing the network's global new business and marketing practices. In this role, she will leverage regional new business successes and promote marketing best practices across all 233 Euro RSCG Worldwide offices.

"I'm hugely excited in my new role to build on our new business successes over the last few years," said Troni, "and promote best practices from around the globe to bring to bear on global and regional new business efforts."

Before working as global new business director of Euro RSCG Worldwide, Troni led new business and client development for Euro RSCG's London agency, as well as business development and integration across the Euro RSCG U.K. group. During her tenure, the U.K. agency won more than $200 million in new billings from brands such as News International, Staples, Superdrug and LG Electronics. Troni also ran the relationship with News International.

This year, Euro RSCG Worldwide has also been named Adweek's first-ever Healthcare Agency of the Year, runner-up for Global Agency of the Year from Campaign, No. 2 on the Ad Age Agency A-List and European Communication Group of the Year by Les Agences de l'Annee. And for the 12th time in 16 years, BETC Euro RSCG was named Creative Agency of the Year by CB News Hits d'Or.

About Havas Worldwide

Havas Worldwide is the main business unit of Havas (Euronext Paris: HAV.PA) and is one of the world's largest global advertising and communications services groups. Havas Worldwide incorporates the Euro RSCG Worldwide network as well as agencies with strong local identities including Arnold in the USA, the UK and Italy; H and W&Cie in France; and Palm+Havas in Canada. The network offers a broad range of communications services, including traditional advertising, interactive marketing, direct marketing, corporate communications, sales promotion, design, sports marketing and public relations. Havas employs approximately 14,700 people. Further information about Havas is available on the company's website: www.havas.com.

About Euro RSCG Worldwide

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. Euro RSCG is made up of 233 offices in 75 countries and provides advertising, marketing, corporate communications and interactive solutions to clients including Air France, BNP Paribas, Charles Schwab, Citigroup, Danone Group, Heineken USA, IBM, Jaguar, Kraft Foods, Lacoste, L'Oreal, Merck, PSA Peugeot and sanofi-aventis. Euro RSCG Worldwide is the largest unit of Havas, a world leader in communications (Euronext: HAV.PA) (Paris: HAV.PA).

SOURCE Euro RSCG