Havas Media reshapes strategy leadership with Molly Blacker appointment
Molly Blacker joins Havas Media from Slingshot
Havas Media has reshaped its strategy leadership, appointing Molly Blacker as its new national head of strategy.
Blacker steps into the role following the departure of former chief strategy officer Mitchell Long, who resigned from the agency in January after an 18-month tenure.
Blacker’s appointment comes alongside broader shifts within the network, including the promotion of former creative strategy lead Olly Taylor to chief strategy officer across the wider Havas ANZ Group, as well as the recent new brand positioning, “Deliberately Different”.
Blacker joins Havas Media after eight years at Slingshot, including the last three as head of strategy and creative, where she led strategy for brands including Australian Pork, Hamilton the musical and the Goodman Fielder portfolio.
Prior to that, she spent five years at UM Australia working with major brands including Johnson & Johnson, Tourism and Events Queensland, H&M and the NSW Government.
In a press release statement, Kate O’Ryan-Roeder, recently appointed CEO of Havas Media ANZ, said, “Molly is an exceptional cultural fit for our agency – a rare combination of a people‑first leader and a highly respected craft expert.
“She has a natural instinct for collaboration and sees huge potential in our wider Havas Village strategy collective. I know her leadership will elevate not only the work we deliver for clients, but also the development of our people and the strength of our integrated offering. Molly’s passion for pushing the industry forward makes her an incredible addition to the team.”
The changes come amid a wider change across Havas ANZ Group, including the appointment of Alastair Baker to a newly created chief AI officer role, tasking him with unifying AI strategy across the network.
Shortly after, the group also formally acquired independent media agency Kaimera.
Long announced his departure from Havas Media in January, writing on Linkedin: “For me, 2026 is a year where I want to take on a new risk and challenge to try my own thing and pursue a personal project I’m genuinely excited about. Something I just need to have a go at.”
Long, who previously spent 12 years at PHD, added: “Over the last 18 months we’ve achieved a lot [at Havas]: new positioning, new clients, new processes, new products … and I’ve learnt so much from many wonderful, kind and talented people.”
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