Just days after handing Xavier Rees the role of chief executive for both Havas Helia and Havas London, the French-owned marketing giant has expanded chief marketing officer and new business boss Tracey Barber’s remit to cover all agencies within the group.
As group CMO, Barber will work across all Havas UK’s agencies, including direct marketing, advertising and media shops, and have responsibility for all marketing, new business and PR activity for the group.
Having started her career at Lowe Howard-Spink in the late Eighties, Barber then had spells at Cogent and client-side at Lloyds before joining Havas Helia – then known as EHS 4D Group – as group marketing director. In 2011, she switched to Kitcatt Nohr, but was lured back into the Havas fold in 2014; within a year she was promoted to cover Havas Worldwide and Havas Work Club, too.
Havas Europe & UK Group chief executive Chris Hirst commented: “As our clients increasingly buy services, not necessarily specific agencies, the amount of cross-agency collaboration in the Havas Village is increasing exponentially. Just like we offer our clients one Havas business lead, it absolutely makes sense to have one joined up new business and marketing effort. And, as anyone who’s met her will know, Tracey is an absolute powerhouse at what she does.”
Barber added: “Some of the biggest pitches on our radar involve multiple agencies within the Havas Village. This role will streamline that process, help unify our agencies and lead to more ‘Village’ wins – making the most of our biggest competitive advantage. Ultimately, it will result in a better, simpler and more efficient offer to our clients.”
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