Tag: Health Communications

India – Havas Life Mumbai, the healthcare communications arm of Havas India, has appointed Dorelle Kulkarni as its new managing director to lead the agency’s strategic expansion and innovation in healthcare communications.

In this role, Kulkarni will succeed Sangeeta Barde, CEO of Havas Life Mumbai, India, and regional head of Havas Life Dubai (Middle East). She will drive the agency’s strategic expansion, strengthen its market position, and lead its next phase of innovation and growth.

Kulkarni brings nearly three decades of experience in marketing and strategic growth within the health and wellness sector. She has held leadership roles at Publicis Health and Lowe Lintas, shaping brand strategies for top global healthcare companies.

Notably, she spent a decade at the former Sorento Healthcare, now Havas Life Mumbai, where she managed an impressive portfolio of blue-chip clients, including Abbott, GSK, Pfizer, Novartis, MSD, Glenmark, and Novo Nordisk.

“Joining Havas Life Mumbai feels like a homecoming. I am excited to collaborate with a team that shares my passion for innovation and excellence in healthcare communications. Together, I am looking forward to creating impactful solutions that make a meaningful difference in the health and wellness landscape,” Kulkarni shared. 

Kulkarni will report to Charles Houdoux, global chief client officer and CEO of Havas Health LATAM & APAC, and collaborate closely with Rana Barua, group CEO of Havas India, SEA, and North Asia, to ensure a successful integration with Havas India Village. 

Additionally, she will work alongside Sachin Talwalkar, chief creative officer of Havas Life Mumbai, to drive strategic innovation and elevate the agency’s impact in healthcare communications.

Speaking on the appointment, Houdoux said, “Havas Life Mumbai is a key player in our global health and wellness network, and Dorelle’s appointment marks a significant step in strengthening our presence in the APAC region.”

“As healthcare evolves rapidly worldwide – with digital transformation, personalised medicine, and patient-centric solutions redefining the industry – India stands at the forefront of this revolution. With her expertise and leadership, we are confident that Havas Life Mumbai will continue to drive groundbreaking healthcare communications that create real impact,” he added. 

Barua also said, “We are thrilled to welcome Dorelle to the Havas family at such a transformative time for healthcare communications. Her deep industry expertise, strategic vision, and passion for innovation will be instrumental in shaping the next phase of growth for Havas Life Mumbai. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Sangeeta for her leadership and being part of Havas and wish her the best always.”

Shanghai, China – Global communications firm Edelman in China has augmented its capabilities in the health and wellness space by bringing onboard two senior specialists to lead the firm’s offerings for clients operating in the healthcare, sports and lifestyle sectors. They are Laura Zhou as vice president of healthcare, and Chris Leung as senior vice president of lifestyle and sports marketing. 

Zhou brings in over 17 years of experience at China’s communications and advertising agencies, more recently with McCann WorldGroup. She has prior experience as well working with Saatchi & Saatchi, WPP Health and VMLY&R, and has been developing integrated communications solutions for healthcare companies since 2008.

“Edelman understands the factors that influence a brand’s level of trust among consumers, and [advises] clients on how to build and protect it. In the healthcare sector, trust is paramount. I’m excited to be joining this firm at such a pivotal time for the health and wellness sector, and working with our clients on growing this space in China,” she stated.

Meanwhile, Leung joins Edelman from Entourage Sports & Entertainment, where he served as Asia commercial director, and brings extensive experience from the advertising industry, having worked at BBDO, Ogilvy and Saatchi & Saatchi. In addition, during his stint as a marketing consultant to The Peninsula Group, he strengthened the hotelier’s association with motorsports – namely the Formula1 – as well as its commitment to sustainability.

“There has never been a more relevant time for brands and companies to enhance their focus on sports and wellness marketing. With Edelman’s strength in integrated solutions, I’m looking forward to partnering with the talented teams on driving this agenda for the firm’s impressive client roster,” Leung stated regarding his appointment.

Commenting on the new hires, Pully Chau, president of Greater China, commented, “We are anticipating big growth in these areas in a post-pandemic world, as people place greater importance on their health and their overall wellbeing. With these hires, we are in a strong position to lead clients in this space, with an unparalleled, industry-leading integrated offering.”

New York, USA – Global health communications network Havas Health & You has announced that Eric Weisberg will now take helm as the network’s new global chief creative officer, effective August 2021.

In his new role, Weisberg will guide the creative output globally for the company through his deep experience in storytelling, innovation, media and content. He will report to Donna Murphy, global CEO of HH&Y.

Prior to his new position, he served as global chief creative officer at agency network Doner Partners Network, where he led a creative and new business rebirth at the 750-person micro-network. His tenure marked the most awarded era in the agency’s history, including wins from Johnson & Johnson, McDonald’s, Nature’s Bounty, Travelocity, to name a few.

In addition, he was also formerly the global executive creative director at advertising company J. Walter Thompson which is now Wunderman Thompson, where he was responsible for creating the agency’s first integrated creative group blending expertise in traditional, digital, and customer relationship management (CRM).

“The zeitgeist of the world is driven by health and will be for the foreseeable future. The COVID and post-COVID era has deeply impacted our global consciousness, with every brand now needing a point of view on how they protect and advance consumer quality of life. There is no better place to revolutionize the global health dialog, in every category, than at the world’s largest and most capable network. I am delighted to join the over 5000 people of HH&Y and be a part of their next era of growth, innovation and creativity,” Weisberg said, regarding his appointment.

Meanwhile, Murphy commented that from the moment she met Eric for this opportunity, she knew that he was the right person to help unlock the next chapter for HH&Y — driven by the creativity, digital transformation and innovation that today’s brands want and need. She added that the opportunities and challenges that exist for businesses today require creative problem solving more than any time in recent history.

“Eric’s proven track record as a creative force and his understanding of connecting consumers through digital platforms, data-driven storytelling and content partnerships will be a vital complement to our investments in customer experience, content, technology and analytics. His reputation as an award-winning digital expert and hybrid creative leader adds a new dimension to our seasoned global leadership team. Eric also brings cultural compatibility with our agency with his people-first leadership style and shared passion for purpose-driven work,” she added.

Havas Health & You unites Havas Life, Health4Brands (H4B), Lynx, Red Havas and Havas Health Plus, all wholly owned health and communications networks, with the consumer health businesses and practices of Havas Creative Group.