Havas Worldwide has appointed Michael Keany to the newly created role of chief commercial officer, Americas, effective June 27.
Keany will be responsible for developing and expanding Havas Worldwide’s digital capabilities in North and South America, with a focus on developing strategic partnerships, identifying new lines of business for Havas and its clients, and scaling digital products and services.
“Throughout his career, Michael has helped organizations use emerging technologies to develop disruptive products and services, enter new markets, and drive client impact,” said Andrew Benett, CEO of Havas Worldwide and Havas Creative Group. “As we aim to continuously transform for the future, Michael will help better position both Havas and our clients for success.”
Keany is a seasoned digital leader and business builder with over 25 years of experience. He joins the agency from McKinsey & Company, where he served as VP and co-founder of McKinsey Academy, a platform as a service (PaaS) start-up focused on digital professional development. Most recently, Keany led Digital Quotient (DQ) and Digital Capabilities (DC), two new ventures that focus on digital transformation. Previously, Keany worked at three iconic digital design innovation firms: Schematic, Method, and Code and Theory, where he was first EVP of strategy and marketing development and, later, CEO.
“I’m delighted to be joining Havas at this exciting time for the industry,” said Keany. “With its commitment to true multidisciplinary collaboration, Havas understands that real innovation requires outstanding teamwork. I look forward to finding better ways to evolve current capabilities and drive business impact.”
Keany will be based in New York and report to Benett.
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More