BASTION BRANDS TURNS A PAGE AS DAN KING TAKES THE HELM IN HAVAS HEALTH TRANSITION

 Havas Group ANZ has confirmed a leadership transition at Bastion Brands, with founder Simon Davies stepping aside and Executive Director Dan King promoted to Managing Director. The move comes amid strong growth, deeper integration with Havas, and a renewed focus on innovation, AI capability and global collaboration.

Fourteen years after founding Bastion Brands, Simon Davies is stepping away from the Australian business he built into one of the region’s most respected specialist health communications agencies, marking a significant leadership transition within Havas Group ANZ and signalling a new chapter shaped by continuity, innovation and global ambition.

Davies, who launched Bastion Brands in 2012, will formally step down at the end of June, citing a desire to spend time with family overseas before re-engaging with Havas Health projects in Europe. His departure follows a period of sustained growth and consolidation, including the agency’s acquisition by Havas in November 2022 and its subsequent integration into the global Havas Health Network.

In his place, Executive Director Dan King has been elevated to Managing Director, a move that underscores both stability and progression within the agency’s leadership ranks. King, who joined Bastion Brands in 2019, has been closely involved in shaping its recent trajectory, working across a portfolio of Australian and international clients on complex communications programmes spanning the medical, pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors.

The transition comes at a moment of notable strength for Bastion Brands. The agency recorded more than 17 per cent growth in 2025, contributing to what Havas Group ANZ has described as its most successful year on record. This performance coincided with the rollout of the group’s “Deliberately Different” positioning, a strategic direction that emphasises distinctive thinking, integrated capability and measurable outcomes.

Davies’ tenure has been defined by a clear commitment to bridging scientific rigour with compelling storytelling, a positioning that helped Bastion Brands secure partnerships with major healthcare and pharmaceutical clients including Danone, Sanofi, GSK and CSL. Under his leadership, the agency built a highly specialised team across Melbourne and Sydney, capable of navigating the complexities of regulated industries while delivering work that resonates with both professional and consumer audiences.

Reflecting on his departure, Davies described the timing as both deliberate and optimistic, pointing to the agency’s strong performance and successful integration into the Havas ecosystem. He emphasised the importance of trust and collaboration in building the business, acknowledging both clients and internal teams as central to its success. His confidence in King’s leadership was unequivocal, noting his deep understanding of the agency’s clients, culture and craft.

For Havas Group ANZ, the transition represents not just a change in leadership but a continuation of a broader strategic vision. Chief Executive James Wright highlighted Davies’ enduring legacy, describing Bastion Brands as a rare blend of scientific expertise and creative excellence. At the same time, he positioned King’s promotion as a natural progression, emphasising his role in driving growth and ensuring continuity during a period of change.

King now assumes responsibility for leading Bastion Brands’ operations across Melbourne and Sydney, with a mandate to sustain momentum while pushing the agency into new territory. His vision centres on strengthening specialist capabilities, deepening collaboration across the Havas network and embracing emerging technologies, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence and data-driven decision-making.

In articulating his priorities, King reaffirmed the agency’s core proposition: connecting science with human insight to create communications that inspire action. However, he also signalled a more pronounced focus on innovation, outlining plans to invest in AI-enabled tools and data fluency across teams. Within the Havas ecosystem, this includes applying responsible, privacy-safe AI to areas such as insight mining, medical content workflows and performance optimisation—an approach that reflects wider industry shifts towards intelligent automation and evidence-based strategy.

The emphasis on AI is particularly notable in the context of healthcare communications, where accuracy, compliance and ethical considerations remain paramount. By integrating advanced technologies with specialist expertise, Bastion Brands aims to help clients navigate increasingly complex environments, from regulatory landscapes to evolving patient expectations.

Despite the forward-looking agenda, the transition has been carefully structured to ensure stability. Davies and King will work closely over the coming months, maintaining continuity for clients and teams while gradually transferring responsibilities. This collaborative handover is designed to preserve the agency’s culture and client relationships, both of which have been central to its growth.

Looking ahead, the leadership shift also reflects the increasing importance of global connectivity within the Havas network. Bastion Brands’ role as a partner in delivering regional and international work positions it as a key player in the group’s broader health communications strategy. Davies’ planned involvement in European projects further reinforces this interconnected approach, suggesting that his influence within the network will continue, albeit in a different capacity.

As the agency enters its next phase, the balance between continuity and change will be closely watched. The foundations laid over the past fourteen years—scientific credibility, creative ambition and strong client partnerships—provide a solid platform. At the same time, the evolving demands of the healthcare sector, coupled with rapid technological advancements, present both challenges and opportunities.

For Bastion Brands, the leadership transition is less about reinvention and more about evolution. With Dan King at the helm and the backing of Havas Group ANZ, the agency appears poised to build on its legacy while adapting to a future where data, technology and human insight converge more closely than ever before.