Havas CX Appoints Ol Janus as Its First Global Data Chief

Havas has appointed Ol Janus to the newly created role of global head of data for its dedicated customer experience network, Havas CX. Janus – who was previously group head of data for the network’s lead UK agency, Havas CX helia – will report into Havas Creative global chief strategy officer, Mark Sinnock.

In this new role and expanded remit, Janus has been charged with leading and developing data products and services across the entire Havas CX global network, and driving business growth as a result. He will be responsible for building the network’s data capabilities and their application through smarter collaboration with Havas’ creative businesses and clients, as well as the innovative use of new data science as an increasingly powerful competitive differentiator.

Havas CX brings together more than 1200 people from 20 of Havas Creative’s global agency groups and local agencies, plus additional specialists from across the Havas network, under a common structure, governance, methodology and mission. Fostering integration between these agencies and individuals, it combines the power of rich insights, user-centric technology and experience-led design to transform business performance for its clients and partners.

Since its establishment in October 2020, it has won a number of significant accounts including skincare brand Aesop, car maker Volkswagen Group UK, and Mars-owned pet food brand Royal Canin.

Janus re-joined Havas in 2017, having spent three years at Ogilvy where he led its data Practice in London and worked across clients including Nestle, BT, BP and Public Health England. Prior to that, he had spent more than 10 years at the agency now known as Havas CX helia, where he held roles including MD and Global Data Director, working across clients such as Diageo, Unilever, EasyJet and Compare the Market. Before his first stint at Havas, he held a variety of data strategy roles at companies including Acxiom and Virgin Media.

Mark Sinnock, Global Chief Strategy Officer, Havas Creative, says: “This important new role will be pivotal in ensuring our global data capabilities are fully integrated across our network, as well as being greater than the sum of their parts. In CX, we often speak about new technology or cutting-edge tools – but underpinning those is talent. It’s one thing to talk about the potential of data science – and another to actually make it happen. Ol makes the complex simple and the inaccessible easily understood, but most important is his ability to turn cutting-edge data theory into reality.”

Janus adds: “I don’t think it’s controversial to say that too many brands still don’t understand data – or at the very least, don’t understand how to fully realise its potential. Five years ago, they might have got away with that – but after 18 months which brought customer engagement permanently to the fore, those that don’t will die. Havas understands this, hence the creation of this role – and for me, it’s an incredibly exciting time to be taking it on.”