BREAKING: Publicis Africa appoints new MD

by MarkLives (@marklives) Publicis Africa has announced that Odette van der Haar will be joining the agency as managing director, effective 1 September 2019, to strengthen the management team and build on the group’s recent growth and successes.

“We were extremely selective in appointing an MD who shared our vision for transforming the craft and industry and have found the ideal leader for this in Odette,” says Naeem Seedat, Publicis Africa CEO of communications. “With a proven track record of driving the industry forward, we are excited at the excellence that Odette will bring to the team and our clients.”

Extensive experience, knowledge

Van der Haar has extensive industry experience and knowledge, most recently holding the position of CEO at J. Walter Thompson Johannesburg. Prior to that, she was the CEO of the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) of South Africa.

“I am excited to announce my role at Publicis during Women’s Month,” says Van der Haar. “I hope that the announcement of my appointment will inspire young women everywhere to go out and achieve their goals, no matter how difficult the path to success may seem. I consider it a privilege to lead within an agency with such a forward-thinking model in an era where clients demand more from their investment with agencies.”

Publicis clients currently include global brands such as L’Oreal, Nestle, Mercedes-Benz and Kellogg’s, among others.