Richard Clarke relocates to Australia to take up chief growth and client officer role at HAVAS

Leading advertising and media communications agency group HAVAS has named Richard Clarke as its newly minted chief growth and client officer in Australia.

Clarke (above right) has relocated from HAVAS UK where he spent over four years at award-winning PR firm HAVAS Red, most recently as managing director for HAVAS Red London and was responsible for running the London office and focusing on growth targets that saw the agency triple in size. Prior to this he was a senior partner at Ogilvy UK.

As chief growth and client officer, Clarke will work closely with the HAVAS Australia leadership team on cross-Village growth, new business and incubating new service-based propositions. Reporting to James Wright (above left), group CEO, HAVAS Creative Network ANZ and global chair, HAVAS PR Network, he will also work closely with Village client teams to continue to deliver client service excellence.

Clarke brings with him a wealth of integrated marcomms experience across luxury, retail, travel, consumer tech, FMCG and not-for-profit sectors.

His career milestones include managing the award-winning NHS ‘Missing Type’ blood donation campaign, named ‘Campaign of the Decade’ by PRWeek, as well seeing HAVAS Red being named awarded EMEA Regional Midsize Agency of the Year earlier this year.

Says Clarke of his new role: “I am delighted and privileged to have been given the opportunity to move within HAVAS to Australia. We have a world class roster of agencies, talent, clients and opportunity and am already blown away by the incredible energy and ambition there is within the HAVAS Village Australia.

“I am looking forward to working with outstanding leaders like James and the senior management teams and forge the next chapter of growth for the Group.”

Says Wright: “Richard did an unprecedented job growing the HAVAS Red UK business during his time there, as well as building phenomenal relationships with creative, media, digital and health teams across the HAVAS Village in London. He is an excellent operator, brilliant with clients and naturally brings agencies and teams together.

“Having him in this newly created position in Australia will ensure we are even better set up to service cross agency clients and grow.”