Havas has appointed Joji Jacob as regional chief creative officer for Southeast Asia and North Asia, while concurrently maintaining his pivotal role as creative partner and co-founder at BLKJ Havas Singapore.
In his new role, Jacob will assume comprehensive responsibility for steering the creative direction, ensuring seamless integration into client engagements across the region. As the Chair of Havas’ APAC and member of the Global Creative Council, he will collaborate closely with council members to drive creative excellence across local offices and exploring innovative approaches to storytelling while keeping meaningful connections at the core.
Jacob has made significant contributions to renowned agencies in India and Singapore. Co-founding BLKJ in 2016 and joining the Havas family in 2021, BLKJ Havas has built an impressive client portfolio, including esteemed brands such as Great Eastern, The Republic of Singapore Air Force, the Economic Development Board of Singapore, JLL, and many more.
Prior to BLKJ Havas, Jacob served as the group executive creative director at DDB for nine years. Under his leadership, the agency earned numerous accolades. Jacob has been recognized with accolades such as Singapore’s Most Influential Creative Director by the Institute of Advertising Singapore and Southeast Asia’s Creative Person of the Year by Campaign, consecutively for two years. He has also served as a key juror for esteemed global and regional awards platforms, including Cannes, D&AD, LIA, One Show, and Spikes Asia.
Speaking about the appointment, Rana Barua, group chief executive officer, India, Southeast and North Asia said: “As a network, our united focus is consistently directed towards delivering clients a meaningful experience through exceptional work, achieved by investing in the best talent. The region while culturally diverse shares the same purpose. Joji with his extensive experience and creative strength across the region, will enhance our overall creative output, and play a universal role in fostering positive momentum for all markets, building towards the goal of One Asia. This appointment underscores Havas’ commitment to cultivating top-tier creative leadership, driving the creative mandate and signifies a significant stride toward achieving our growth objectives in these dynamic markets.”
Sharing his thoughts on the new role, Jacob expressed, “I’ve spent 20 years as a creative, with the last ten years spent leading a creative business. So, I step into this role not just with experience but also with a beginner’s mindset. Rana and I have been discussing the many plans and ambitions and my job is to help create the conditions that enable our people make the best work of their lives for our clients, and I find myself at the right place and at the right time. Havas is a place where the entrepreneurial spirit thrives, meaning it’s not set in its ways. We can respond to a rapidly changing marketplace with agility which I find exciting. And Rana’s energy is infectious, that’s one bug I’m happy to catch.”
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