An internal memo sent out today to the entire Havas New York team reveals that Tim Maleeny and Matt Weiss, who were named managing partners in February amid a larger round of promotions, have made a couple of significant changes within their New York-based creative department.
First, Jason Musante–who was promoted to ECD/GM at the same time Maleeny and Weiss became partners along with the recently departed Sean Lyons, who is now back with R/GA–will lead the New York creative team moving forward.
More significantly, Israel Garber is now the Havas Worldwide network’s global ECD and managing director. (Back in February, Garber and Musante were promoted to replace outgoing CCO Darren Moran, who left almost exactly a year ago.)
Before the February promotion, Garber most recently served as ECD on the Keurig/Green Mountain and Liberty Mutual accounts and helped lead new business efforts. As his bio reminds us, “At age 35, he became the youngest creative director ever to be made partner of a billion-dollar New York advertising agency.” He is a Havas veteran, while Musante joined the agency in 2014 after running the Google account at Anomaly.
This isn’t the only recent change at Havas New York: just over a week ago, the office hired Paul Johnson and Keith Scott as group creative directors. Both will still report to Musante.
Here’s the full memo from Maleeny and Weiss.
As you know, we’ve had an incredible year creatively, between developing new campaigns for all our major clients to producing work for pitch after pitch (under ridiculous time constraints), and it’s been working. The work is stronger than it’s ever been, so we’re pleased to announce a couple of significant changes to the creative department.
Effective immediately, Jason Musante will take full and complete responsibility for running the Havas New York creative department in his role as Group ECD, Managing Director. Since coming to the agency Jason has made an extraordinary impact on our thinking and the work, bringing both innovation and true integration into everything we do. As we continue to push the boundaries of what it takes to develop great integrated campaigns, Jason is the perfect choice to lead us forward. On new business he’s been an absolute machine — collaborating, pushing and never settling until we’re all proud to be in the room. Our recent new business wins demanded that we surpass The Martin Agency, Ogilvy, Grey, Anomaly, Crispin and many others on the work. He’s made hiring top talent a huge priority, and Jason has also been a terrific partner to us and the entire management team, always collaborative but always uncompromising in his support for the people it takes to make our work better than its ever been.
We’re equally excited to announce that Israel Garber is now Global ECD, Managing Director, a new role in which he will focus his endless supply of positive energy on our most critical clients at key moments of opportunity. Reckitt Bensicker and Liberty Mutual have grown to the point where the agency teams are practically mini-agencies unto themselves, and over the coming months we have a chance to take these clients to the next level. Izzy will be making sure the teams and the work get the full agency’s support, thinking, inspiration and resources they need to kick ass. Izzy will also continue to be a key player in the world of new business, given his amazing track record. When the agency was at a critical stage, it was Izzy who led the pitches that brought momentum to new business, we’ve been on a new business tear ever since.
Thanks to both of them for all they’ve done, and for all they’re about to take on. Please congratulation Jason and Izzy and give them your full support, as we have.
Hope everyone has a terrific weekend. You’ve earned it.
Matt & Tim
Everyone have a terrific weekend, indeed.