Havas Announces New Leadership Appointments

Havas today announces the elevations of two senior leaders.

Rana Barua, based in Mumbai, will extend his remit to include South East & North Asia. Barua’s career spans nearly three decades, including the last five years spent overseeing Havas’ India operations, comprising over 2,000 people across Havas Creative Network and Havas Media Network. The expansion of Barua’s scope adds nine additional markets under his leadership in his new role as group CEO India, South East & North Asia.

Speaking about his new role, Rana Barua said, “I am extremely excited and thankful to the global leadership team for entrusting me with this additional responsibility. These nine distinct markets in South East & North Asia, provide multiple and diverse occasions for collaboration for both our global and local clients. I look forward to working closely with the regional teams and each country’s leadership to create more meaningful engagements and opportunities for our talent and clients.”

In parallel, Alberto Canteli, based in Dubai, will continue as chairman and CEO Havas Nordics, Benelux, Central & Eastern Europe, and Middle East, while taking on new responsibilities driving special projects in coordination with Donna Murphy, global CEO, Havas Creative Network and Havas Health & You. This new area of focus will include identifying growth levers and developing actionable strategies at the global level, including new client opportunities, services, expansion, and cross selling. A long-time veteran of Havas, Canteli has been serving as a key pillar in the international expansion of Havas for more than 20 years.

“During moments like these of continued disruption and transformation, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to combine my regional responsibilities in Europe and the Middle East with a new role that will facilitate a closer collaboration with our global leadership team. AI, web 3.0 and Blockchain among other advancements, will have a strong impact on our industry and it will be a privilege to contribute to the transformation and turnaround of our business moving forward,” shared Alberto Canteli.

“I would like to warmly congratulate Alberto and Rana on their new, expanded roles. Their proven leadership skills, vast expertise and innovative thinking will create new synergies and accelerate growth, allowing our teams to further build on Havas’ integrated approach and offer our clients the best possible outcomes,” commented Yannick Bolloré, chairman and global CEO, Havas.