Havas has appointed David Shulman as CEO of its global customer experience (CX) network. Shulman becomes the network’s inaugural CEO and will lead the more than 1,800-person group that sits across 26 Havas Villages, in more than 19 countries, all operating in a fully integrated way as One Havas.
Shulman’s resume includes CEO of Omnicom Group’s Organic, president at Wunderman, and, most recently, chief experience officer for VML. Shulman began his career on the client side in brand strategy at Jaguar. He will be based in New York and report to Donna Murphy, global CEO of Havas Creative Network and Havas Health & You.
“In today’s marketing landscape, CX has become intrinsic to business success. We are thrilled to welcome David to the Havas family. His leadership will further unify Havas’ existing brand partnerships and strengthen the network’s ability to better meet the business transformation needs of our clients,” commented Yannick Bolloré, chairman and global CEO, Havas.
“We’ve seen great momentum across our global client portfolio since aligning our CX agencies,” said Murphy. “With David at the helm of this new network, we’ll deliver increased brand value with even more meaningful experiences. David’s extensive digital transformation and strategy experience, both in and outside of the agency world, make him an ideal leader for this critical role.“
Since 2020, Havas has been integrating and aligning the CX capabilities of its specialty shops such as BETC Fullsix, Think Design (user experience) and Gate One (a digital and transformation consultancy) among others. Under Shulman’s leadership, there will be the right structure and approach for CX to fully operate as a network to create meaningful experiences. With the global CX market growing by approximately 11% year over year, Havas will look to capture a large portion of that market.
“Customers are holding brands accountable to deliver on the promises they communicate. Havas’ strength in creative, health, and media, matched with a powerful CX network, creates a unique formula to deliver meaningful experiences that help brands differentiate and win. I am thrilled to join such an outstanding team to drive growth for our agencies and the brands we serve,” said Shulman.
Shulman joins with a strong team in place that includes Ol Janus, global chief data officer; Pat Thistlethwaite, global chief growth officer; Dennis Urbaniak, global chief experience officer; Umbar Shakir, managing director, experience consulting; Olivier Vigneaux, managing director, EMEA; Esteban Calvo, managing director, LatAm; Prashant Tekwani, managing partner India, as well as working closely with established CX leaders across the network.
Park Pictures Signs Director Rachel Morrison
Park Pictures now represents director Rachel Morrison for commercial filmmaking. Morrison first came into prominence as a cinematographer, working on indie features, television, and blockbuster hits, which put her on the path toward her directing career. Her feature film directorial debut, “The Fire Inside,” is set for wide theatrical release by MGM on Christmas Day 2024.
Morrison has a background in photojournalism and a master’s degree from the American Film Institute. She made history as the first woman nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography for her work on “Mudbound,” directed by Dee Rees. Morrison was also the first woman to lens a Marvel film, “Black Panther.” She also served as cinematographer for hit movies like “Dope,” “Fruitvale Station,” and the Emmy-nominated Netflix documentary “What Happened Miss Simone?”
As a director, Morrison has helmed many campaigns for brands like IKEA, Netflix, Gap, Michelob Ultra, Ford, a spot for Nissan starring Brie Larson, and a Coach ad starring Michael B. Jordan. She also directed many episodes of television for shows like “The Mandalorian,” “The Morning Show,” “American Crime Story: Impeachment,” “Hightown,” and “American Crime.”
“I believe in humanity above all else,” remarked Morrison. “Park Pictures similarly puts emotional and relatable storytelling first. Everyone I’ve met there is driven to push the envelope forward and create memorable and visual films. I’m excited to sign with Park and look forward to furthering my commercial career with them.”
Jackie Kelman Bisbee, founding partner of Park Pictures, added, “Her work is at once grounded and elegant. She deeply understands everyone’s process both behind the... Read More