HMN UK Launches Connected Planning Hub Network-Wide

Havas Media Network (HMN) UK launches the Connected Planning Hub, a new centralised planning team headed by Jackie Lyons, who’s being promoted from head of planning to chief planning officer. Consisting of eight senior planning experts and 150+ strong broader client planning community, the Connected Planning Hub creates a unified unit combining planning capabilities across planning, digital, commerce and activation at service organisation to better support clients’ transition to a true customer-focused business. 

The Connected Planning Hub will deliver better integrated planning solutions across the entire HMN UK. Their remit will specifically look at how to effectively integrate all omni-channel touch points around the needs of customers. By unlocking insights from across the Network, they will provide faster, more effective comms and content opportunities for clients, fuelled by the latest tech and media innovation. The team will also establish more collaborative and integrated ways of working with Havas’ CX network and the wider Havas Village.  

The team, which has been built with a diverse array of skill sets to solve different types of challenges, will consist of eight senior planning experts across planning, digital, commerce and activation, with a view to expanding the team in tandem with HMN UK’s growth. The team under Jackie will consist of Rebecca Smithson (head of activation), Barry Walsh (digital strategy partner), Kathryn Harding and Stefan Schoombee (comms planning partners), Priscilla Dolladi (digital strategy director), Lewis Marchant (digital strategy director) and Manchester-based Eleanor Mitchell (comms planning director) – with the latter two joining in April from OMD and dentsu X respectively.  

The specialists will be accessible to all Havas Media Network UK agency brands, including Havas Media UK, Havas Entertainment, Havas Market, Search Laboratory, Havas Play and Ledger Bennett. The Connected Planning Hub will help elevate the overall planning outputs of the wider planning community totalling 150+ across the entire network. The Hub will upskill people through training and the business through access to tools, industry trends and media owner insight. They will also consult to inject additional planning data and creativity into live briefs to join the dots with activation experts.  

Heading up the Connected Planning Hub will be newly appointed chief planning officer Jackie Lyons, who said, “The industry is evolving at pace and we need to be today where our clients will be tomorrow. We need to get better at understanding the journeys customers go on, designing more connected experiences that deliver more action and business impact. Creating this team will enable us to drive media excellence and progressive solutions across the Network as it continues to evolve with clients’ ever-changing requirements.”  

Jackie has 20 years’ experience working delivering planning excellence for UK and international clients across industries including automotive, airlines, utilities, retail and FMCG. Joining Havas Media Network in March 2020, Jackie has played a pivotal role in developing and embedding the Media Experience (Mx) vision, creating new products for planners and championing the art of planning in and outside of the business.  

Jackie has also developed new tools for the agency’s planning community. These include HMN UK’s 'Attention Planner' and 'Moment Engine. Since joining Havas, Jackie has been pivotal in developing breakthrough programmes for Havas clients in important areas like Attention and Innovation. She also pioneered ‘Media Personalities’ frameworks which allow for greater distinctiveness in media plans. In 2022, The Media Leader awarded Lyons as Future Media Leader of the year. She also writes the annual comms planning training for IPA advanced certification. 

Jackie will report into Havas Media Network’s CEO for UK & Ireland Patrick Affleck, who said, “Our clients are asking more from us strategically as they accelerate their transition to being more customer-centric organisations, which of course requires an evolution in our own model too. We are building a true customer-focused network in response, helping our clients to better understand the journeys their customers go on, designing experiences that better integrate all customer touch points. Our job is to create more connected customer journeys across communications, commerce and culture and the Connected Planning Hub under Jackie’s leadership will be the effective enablers of that. Jackie is a planning maestro and a role model in and outside of our business and we’re excited to see what she can achieve this year and beyond.”