Welcome to an audio-led edition of Unmade.
Today’s edition features an interview with the new leadership team at Havas Australia, creative network CEO James Wright and Host/Havas boss Gayle While, a little over three months into their tenure.
Below, an update on The Unmade Index that sees Southern Cross Media and ARN’s honeymoon come to a halt.
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The first 100 days of Wright and While’s leadership at Havas
Back in February, Havas Australia announced two key new appointments: the return from overseas of James Wright as CEO of Havas Creative Network, and Gayle While leading the advertising part of the business as boss of Host/Havas.
In Wright’s previous time in Australia he made a name for himself in the PR space turning around Red Agency (now Red Havas). While comes from a creative agency hinterland, including running Clemenger BBDO in Melbourne.
In today’s podcast, Unmade’s Tim Burrowes talks to Wright and While about their new remits, previous experiences in communications agencies and dynamic of their leadership alongside a team of creatives.
“It’s about bringing back some of our creative confidence, not just as Havas, but the ripple effect into the industry that can have,” While says.
“With so many headwinds being thrown at us, we’ve probably lost some of that swagger or bravery in the creative work, now is a brilliant time as an industry to show we’ve got great talent, an embarrassment of riches in creative talent.”
Wright wants to remake Havas as a ‘bold, progressive and sexy’ group, while balancing the mission to create ‘stickiness’ for their clients’ brands.
The duo also discuss whether the legacy of Havas PR agency One Green Bean and Host at the cutting edge of social media can be resuscitated.
SCA’s honeymoon is over
The Unmade Index was flat yesterday, rising just 0.09% to 640.4 points yesterday.
After ARN’s acquisition of 14.8% of the company, Southern Cross Media posted the biggest drop in its share price on our Index of locally listed media and marketing stocks yesterday. It fell 3.28%, with ARN seeing a milder drop of 0.97%. Seven West Media dropped 2.50%.
Nine remained in the green, rising a modest 0.5%, while Ooh Media rose 2.63% - the biggest winner on the Index of the day.
Time to leave you to your day.
Audio production was courtesy of Abe’s Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.
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What to expect from the new CEOs at Havas as James Wright and Gayle While take charge