Havas Media ANZ appoints Kate O’Ryan-Roeder as new CEO

Australia – Havas Media ANZ has tapped Kate O’Ryan-Roeder as its new chief executive officer, concluding an extensive search as the agency looks to build on its strong growth momentum across Australia and New Zealand.

O’Ryan-Roeder joins Havas Media after a decade with Mindshare ANZ, where she most recently served as managing director for Sydney and previously as chief client officer. During her tenure, she led a 150-strong team, managed a dedicated agency unit for LVMH, and contributed to key new business wins, including MG.

Her appointment also brings significant international experience to the agency. O’Ryan-Roeder spent eight years at Mindshare Worldwide in London, where she oversaw global accounts such as HSBC and Volvo and led global planning for Unilever. Earlier in her career, she held roles at Gyro International and Mitchell Media.

As CEO, O’Ryan-Roeder will oversee Havas Media’s operations across Australia and New Zealand. Her remit includes driving growth and investment in media capabilities, strengthening AI, technology, and data integration, and deepening collaboration across the Havas Village, which unites the network’s creative, media, PR, public affairs, and health disciplines. 

“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the Havas team come January,” said O’Ryan-Roeder about her new role. “What truly inspired and resonated with me was the sense of shared values and purpose, and I’m excited by the unique Village approach – it’s a powerful way to deliver exceptional results for clients and cultivate a truly collaborative and supportive environment for our people. The vision for ANZ that James and Havas have in the next years is bold and transformative, and something I wanted to be a big part of.”

O’Ryan-Roeder will assume her role in January 2026, reporting to James Wright, group CEO of Havas ANZ, global CEO of Havas Red, and global chair of the Havas PR Network.

Her appointment comes amid a period of continued growth for Havas Media ANZ, marked by new business wins including Tangerine and More, Perfetti Van Melle, and Emirates on a global scale. The agency also expanded its presence last year with the acquisition of Melbourne-based Hotglue, which has since been integrated into Havas Media Melbourne.

Commenting on the appointment, Wright said, “We were very humbled by the huge interest we had in the Havas Media CEO role and got to meet some incredibly talented candidates. Kate stood out from the get-go with a wonderful blend of smarts, savviness and strong client and people skills.” 

He continued, “We are about to embark on a very exciting period of investment and transformation at Havas ANZ that will further showcase our difference in the market, and Kate leading the Havas Media Network is going to be a huge driver of this. I look forward to working with her and the leadership group to fulfil our ambitious plans.”

Meanwhile, Peter Mears, global CEO of Havas Media, said, “We are delighted to have someone of the quality and strengths of Kate join the Havas family. Australia and New Zealand are important markets for us, and we have big plans to further scale and strengthen our offerings in the coming months and years. With Kate’s strong track record of managing teams that grow and succeed, we are looking forward to her working with James and the leadership to take us to new levels.”