THE PHILIPPINES, MAY 6, 2012: Global media network Havas Media has confirmed today that former JWT Manila CEO Jos Ortega will be leading its Philippine office and has inked his name on it as Havas Media Ortega.
Ortega announced his departure from JWT Manila March 5, 2012 and hinted of a personal venture saying “I was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug again." This bug has now grown as the Philippines’ first full-service media agency to offer all media services as Havas Media Ortega will house two of Havas Media’s existing agencies in the country: global media communications network MPG and Havas Digital’s interactive arm Media Contacts with creative think tank Collab Manila. Digital and mobile marketing agency Mobext, Havas Media’s latest acquistion in January, also joins the lot.
The new chairman and CEO joins Havas Media along with other industry heavyweights such as Hermie De Leon, who signed off early this year as Omnicom Media Group Philippines president and CEO to join Havas MPG; Collab Manila’s Chief Collaborator Tonypet Sarmiento; and Media Contacts’s CEO Eduardo Mapa, Jr.
“The move comes as part of a wider vision to build a strong and powerful Havas Media operation in the markets of the future – and as one of the top ten social media markets in the world and with a predicted double digit growth rate, the Philippines is certainly one of these markets. We are proud of our teams and their achievements and delighted that some of the country’s leading gurus have chosen to join us," said Alfonso Rodés Vilà, CEO of Havas Media.
Havas Media’s first successful operation Media Contacts boasts of a client portfolio including Unilever, Citibank, Air Asia, Unilab and LBC. It has also been awarded the coveted media agency of the year for two consecutive years.
Prior to his stint at JWT Manila, Ortega co-founded BBDO Guerrero Ortega and was vice-chairman of the agency for 6 years until he withdrew from the management and operations to concentrate on BrandLab where he is co-founder and chairman.
Commenting on his move, Ortega says: "What attracted me to Havas Media is its growth record and entrepreneurial spirit. I felt it immediately when I first met the CEO Alfonso Rodés Vilà and Vishnu Mohan. As a strategic planner, I am also impressed with the group’s commitment to thought leadership. Artemis is a breakthrough tool and Havas Media’s Meaningful Brands framework and analysis takes the lead in the next generation business model. These are revolutionary ideas and I am looking forward to being a part of these developments and new thinking”.
Vishnu Mohan, CEO of Havas Media APAC adds: “The creation of this heavyweight and inspirational team is a testimony to our commitment to the region and the strength of the existing teams who have done so well over the past two years. The digitalisation of media and convergence of technology has created a totally new and constantly changing media landscape that requires new solutions. While many other organizations are broken into silos that don’t allow them to have a systemic view on communications activity, Havas Media Ortega’s new integrated structure allows the teams to work across both disciplines and platforms to create deeper more meaningful campaigns for clients”.
