Australia – Havas Media Network has named Mitchell Long as its new chief strategy officer, entrusting him with spearheading the strategic direction for Havas Media Australia and Havas PLAY.
Prior to joining the Havas Media leadership team, Mitchell Long spent 12 years at PHD as national head of strategy, refining his communications strategy skills and collaborating with global giants like Google, Volkswagen, Unilever, Virgin Australia, and Chanel.
With a wealth of experience across diverse categories, Long’s work has garnered industry-wide recognition and numerous awards. He has also been instrumental in creating industry-relevant content over the years.
Virginia Hyland, CEO of Havas Media Network, said, “Mitch is a rare talent within our industry with a sharp, focused mind that can unpack and develop business solutions for clients with compelling results. I have taken some time to identify and find the right candidate for this important role. Mitch will lead the strategic direction for Havas Media Australia and Havas PLAY. He will also play a pivotal role working alongside the Havas Village agencies to support our continued global focus on creating a converged operating system and data home platform for clients from across our Havas Village.”
“With recent significant business growth via wins and independent agency acquisitions for the Havas Media Network, it is a particularly exciting time for Mitch to join the team. The challenge for marketers to simplify the complicated has never been greater, particularly when budgets are tight and their teams are stretched. They desire to work with partners who can unpack their problems and deliver an integrated, seamless working model to deliver new growth areas. Mitch will play a key role in leaning into our clients business in a true partnership extension.”
Long originally studied journalism, but soon found his calling when he became an intern in advertising. For Long, he was “instantly struck by the fun energy, the smart people, and the warmth I felt.”
Speaking on his new role, Long shared, “In the face of industry fragmentation, Havas’ new Converged OS, backed by their unique Village model, holds the opportunity to build much-needed bridges between creative, media, production, and technology. As part of my role, I’ll be looking to evolve our strategy product to draw upon our unique strengths within Converged and across our breadth of Village capabilities, all in the service of great ideas that real people care about and that live through every facet of a brand’s marketing ecosystem.”
“Havas’ Village model is uniquely positioned to bridge the growing divide between breadth and depth; I’m excited to help build their next chapter,” he added.
This appointment comes on the heels of Havas’ recent strategic evolution, including a substantial €400 million investment in data, technology, and AI, the promotion of Alastair Baker to chief planning officer, and the acquisition of Hotglue by Havas Media.
