Havas has officially announced that Virginia Hyland has stepped down from her role as CEO of Havas Media ANZ. This comes shortly after it was revealed that she had filed a legal claim against the agency in the Federal Court, which has now been settled outside of court.
The claim, known as a “Breach of General Protections,” alleged that Havas Media violated workplace rights – which could include actions like unfair dismissal or mistreatment. Neither party has disclosed full details, but the dispute has been resolved privately.
Virginia Hyland had joined Havas when it acquired her independent agency, Hyland Media, in 2020. Following the end of the agreed buy-out period, she is now stepping away from the company. Havas confirmed the news and expressed appreciation for her leadership, noting that under her guidance, Havas Media gained and retained key clients such as Red Bull, Tourism Fiji, Perfetti, and more. She also helped launch key services like Havas Play and CSA (data, tech, and analytics).
James Wright — currently Group CEO of Havas Creative Network ANZ, Global CEO of Havas Red, and Global Chair of Havas PR — has now been appointed Havas Group CEO ANZ. With this appointment, he will oversee the full Havas Group operations in Australia and New Zealand, including both creative and media divisions.
Wright’s appointment follows a trend among holding companies to unify creative and media leadership under one regional executive, similar to how Publicis Groupe and Dentsu are structured in the ANZ region.
Havas is still recruiting a new leader for its media business, with more leadership updates expected soon.
In a statement, Hyland thanked her team and clients: “It’s been a privilege to work alongside so many talented people. I’m proud of what we’ve built, and I wish the agency and its clients continued success.”
Wright, in turn, thanked Hyland and said Havas is entering an exciting new phase: “We’re committed to bold, integrated growth – combining creativity, technology, and data to drive better outcomes for our clients.”
