Havas Media Network names James Olney global head of effectiveness

Havas Media Network has appointed James Olney as Global Head of Effectiveness, putting measurement, experimentation and AI-enabled analytics closer to its strategy work. The hire is designed to help clients connect marketing spend to business outcomes and improve growth decisions across the network.

Why it matters: - Havas Media Network is making effectiveness a bigger part of its growth strategy. - The role is meant to help clients measure marketing impact earlier and improve how they allocate spend. - The appointment adds more focus on connecting media activity to business outcomes through data and analytics.

What happened: - Havas Media Network appointed James Olney as Global Head of Effectiveness. - Olney will lead the network’s global effectiveness proposition. - He will report to Joanna Lawrence, Global Chief Strategy Officer, Havas Media Network. - The appointment was announced in London on September 18, 2026.

The details: - Olney will work across strategy, planning, data and analytics teams. - He will partner closely with CSA, Havas’ advanced analytics team, and Converged.ai, Havas’ global AI technology platform. - His remit includes measurement, experimentation, marketing mix modelling and AI-enabled analytics solutions. - Havas wants Olney to build frameworks and capabilities that connect marketing activity to business outcomes. - Lawrence said Olney has a rare ability to make complex ideas simple and has helped brands move beyond reporting to understand performance drivers. - Lawrence said Olney’s strategic thinking, analytical expertise and commercial focus will support Havas’ “Growth Powered by Desire” proposition.

Between the lines: - The hire shows Havas is treating effectiveness as a strategic function, not just a reporting exercise. - Moving the role into the strategy team suggests the network wants measurement to shape planning before campaigns launch. - The emphasis on AI and machine learning signals Havas is trying to scale analytics across markets rather than keep it siloed in one team. - Olney’s background suggests Havas is prioritizing a leader who can translate analytics into commercial decisions.

What's next: - Olney will focus on strengthening Havas Media Network’s effectiveness capabilities globally. - He will work to embed evidence-based planning, measurement and learning into the client experience. - Havas expects effectiveness to play a central role in delivering sustainable growth. - Olney said he sees effectiveness as a growth engine and expects the new role to scale globally.

The bottom line: - Havas Media Network is betting that tighter links between strategy, analytics and AI will help clients spend smarter and grow faster.