Havas Health Network names global client director

Havas Health Network has appointed Catherine Brassington-Richards as global client director, effective this month.

Brassington-Richards will oversee operations for some of the network’s largest global clients, working directly with the agency’s local markets. The position is the first created to oversee growth on a worldwide scale, according to Brassington-Richards.

“By not being embedded in the day-to-day brand work, it gives me the opportunity to have a more holistic view of what [clients’] requirements are, and it’s the same as not being embedded in one of the specific agencies,” she said. “I have that broadened view, so I can constantly be looking for the best possible solutions for our clients across the whole network and across all the different business problems our clients may have.”

The agency said in a statement that she will work alongside her U.S. counterpart, Republica Havas Health global brand director Tomer Landa, to deliver client growth across the pharmaceutical and health and wellness industries.

Brassington-Richards is based in London and reports to Havas Health partner and chief client officer Charles Houdoux. She has no direct lines of reporting in this role but will oversee leadership across the global brands.

“It's about making global and local work really work,” she said. “I spent a lot of my career at length, focusing on creating global campaigns and, for me, now it's about creating effectiveness at a local level because global doesn't exist and does not succeed without local and local can't succeed without global.”

While focusing on the local model isn’t a new approach, effectively communicating with people on the ground hasn’t been achieved by many agencies, Brassington-Richards said. She added that she plans to introduce more integrated marketing and embrace data across Havas’ services.

Brassington-Richards is returning to Havas after a stint at U.K.-based integrated marketing agency Iris, where she served as global chief health officer. Before that, she had a nearly 13-year tenure at Havas, working with Havas Lynx as chief growth officer and H4B Manchester in several account leadership roles.

Havas Health Network unites health and communications networks Havas Life, Havas Lynx, and Jacques with the consumer health businesses and practices of Havas Creative Group. 

In February, Havas debuted its consumer health unit, Havas Consumer Health, specialising in over-the-counter health and wellness brands. Havas Consumer Health brought together expertise from Havas Health & You and Havas Creative Network. 

Havas PR Global Network, which includes Havas Formula, Havas Street and Havas Red, reported a revenue increase of 5% to $236 million globally and $53 million in the U.S. in 2023, representing 22.4% of the network’s total revenue, according to PRWeek’s 2024 Agency Business Report.