Havas Media names Kate O’Ryan-Roeder as CEO

Havas Media has appointed Kate O’Ryan-Roeder as chief executive officer, following an extensive search to find a successor for outgoing CEO Virginia Hyland, who departed in July after five years with the agency.

O’Ryan-Roeder joins from Mindshare, where she spent a decade in senior leadership, most recently as managing director of its Sydney ops and previously as chief client officer.

At Mindshare she led a 150-strong team, oversaw a bespoke agency for LVMH and helped secure new business including the MG Motor account. Her international experience includes eight years at Mindshare London, where she led global accounts for HSBC and Volvo and oversaw global planning for Unilever, alongside earlier roles at Gyro International and Mitchell Media.

As CEO, O’Ryan-Roeder will oversee Havas Media’s operations across Australia and New Zealand, with a focus on growth, data and technology investment, plus closer integration across the Havas Village model - which unites the group’s media, creative, PR, health and public affairs agencies. She will report to James Wright, group CEO Havas ANZ and global CEO of Havas Red.

Wright said O’Ryan-Roeder “stood out from the get-go with a blend of smarts, savviness and strong client and people skills.

He added that Havas ANZ is entering “an exciting period of investment and transformation,” with O’Ryan-Roeder’s leadership expected to be a key driver of growth.

O’Ryan-Roeder said she was drawn to the group’s shared values and purpose, and its collaborative Village model. “The vision for ANZ that James and Havas have in the next few years is bold and transformative, and something I wanted to be a big part of,” she said.

Havas Media global CEO Peter Mears said Australia and New Zealand are priority markets for the network. “With Kate’s strong track record of managing teams that grow and succeed, we’re looking forward to taking Havas Media to new levels,” he said.

O’Ryan-Roeder will officially join Havas in January 2026. Her appointment follows a period of growth for the agency, including new business wins such as Tangerine and More, Perfetti Van Melle and Emirates globally.

Havas last year acquired Hotglue in Melbourne, which has become part of Havas Media, and recently opened its new Melbourne Village with more than 90 staff, complementing its Sydney hub of 300 specialists across nine agencies.