MOLLY BLACKER TAKES HELM AS HAVAS MEDIA’S FIRST NATIONAL HEAD OF STRATEGY

Havas Media has appointed Molly Blacker as its first National Head of Strategy, reinforcing its integrated, culturally driven approach. With extensive experience across leading agencies, Blacker will spearhead strategic innovation, client growth, and collaboration as Havas ANZ continues to invest in AI-enabled capabilities and unified strategic excellence.

Havas Media has appointed Molly Blacker as its inaugural National Head of Strategy, marking a significant step in the agency’s ambition to redefine its strategic offering and strengthen its “Deliberately Different” proposition. The newly created role signals a continued investment in integrated thinking, as the network sharpens its focus on delivering culturally resonant and commercially impactful media solutions.

In her new position, Blacker will lead the Havas Media strategy team while playing a central role in a newly formed integrated strategy collective under the leadership of Olly Taylor, Chief Strategy Officer of Havas ANZ. Working closely with clients, she will focus on uncovering growth opportunities, elevating strategic output, and embedding culturally led thinking across campaigns.

The appointment has been welcomed by Kate O’Ryan-Roeder, CEO of Havas Media ANZ, who highlighted Blacker’s dual strengths as both a people-first leader and a highly regarded strategist. She emphasised that Blacker’s vision aligns strongly with the agency’s ambition to bring its Deliberately Different philosophy to life through a product that delivers tangible business impact. According to O’Ryan-Roeder, Blacker’s collaborative approach and belief in the broader Havas Village model position her to strengthen both client outcomes and internal talent development.

Blacker joins the agency after an eight-year tenure at Slingshot, where she most recently served as Head of Strategy & Creative. During her time there, she led strategic initiatives for a diverse portfolio of brands, including Australian Pork and major theatrical productions such as Hamilton, alongside projects for the Michael Cassel Group and the Goodman Fielder portfolio. Her career also includes five years at UM Australia, where she worked with global and domestic brands such as Johnson & Johnson, Tourism and Events Queensland, H&M and the NSW Government.

Speaking on the appointment, Taylor described Blacker as a standout talent who recognises the evolving demands of modern media. He noted that in an era where reach alone is no longer sufficient, her focus on driving meaningful impact aligns with the agency’s forward-looking strategy.

Blacker herself expressed enthusiasm for the expanding scope of the media landscape, describing it as a space rich with opportunity. She underscored the importance of diversity in thought and creativity, noting that the shared belief in this principle across Havas Media and its wider strategy collective made the move particularly compelling.

Her arrival comes at a time when Havas Group ANZ, under the leadership of James Wright, is accelerating investment in integrated capabilities, AI-enabled strategy, and cross-Village collaboration. With a broad network that includes Havas Host, Havas Red, Havas New Zealand and several specialist agencies, the group is positioning itself to set new benchmarks in strategic and creative effectiveness.

Blacker’s appointment not only strengthens Havas Media’s leadership bench but also reflects a broader industry shift towards more holistic, insight-driven approaches to media strategy—where cultural relevance, collaboration, and measurable impact are increasingly central to success.