HAVAS Red and H/Advisors Klareco have launched a strategic joint venture in Singapore to deliver clients across Asia an integrated communications solution. This partnership looks to blend H/Advisors Klareco’s strategic advisory and public affairs strengths with HAVAS Red’s creative, social-first, and earned media capabilities as they address rising demand for cross-disciplinary communications.
As part of the partnership, Mark Worthington, Managing Director and Co-Founder of H/Advisors Klareco, takes on the additional role of Managing Director of Havas Red in Singapore, which will now incorporate the H/Advisors Klareco brand PR team. Mark will continue to drive the growth of H/Advisors Klareco alongside Co-Founder and CEO, Ang Shih Huei.
In an exclusive chat with Telum Media, Mark said, “Since we joined under the H/Advisors banner, what’s become very clear is that the full spectrum is really necessary. We’ve long had that, but when it gets to more creative, experiential work - what Havas calls ‘corpsumer’ - that sits beautifully with what HAVAS Red has been doing in Singapore.”
James Wright, Global CEO of HAVAS Red and Global Chairman of the HAVAS PR Network, sees the joint venture as a natural next step in the evolution of HAVAS’ global strategy - aligning two complementary networks under one roof.
“We started HAVAS Red as the global agency brand six years ago in three markets, and we’ve expanded to 20. Singapore was one of the first. What’s happening now is a reorganisation of our talent and capabilities within Singapore. Mark’s team at H/Advisors Klareco does more than the traditional services, so the talent that exists in that ‘corpsumer’ space becomes HAVAS Red,” he explained. “It’s awesome that clients can now come through one door and access both teams.”
When asked whether this integrated agency model will be the future of PR, both leaders pointed to evolving client expectations and the blurring of traditional boundaries between strategy and brand storytelling.
“The future is around moving on from the concept of earned media into the concept of earning the right to be part of people’s lives - in culture, in conversation, in trust,” said James. “There’s a real appetite for brands to find smarter, more creative ways to tell their stories that fit with culture, even in moments of crisis.”
“It used to be that strategic advisory was the suit guys and creative was the hip guys in t-shirts. Now it’s all one experience,” he furthered. “Our model is about putting the client problem at the centre and surrounding it with all our capabilities - creative, tech, issues, content, strategy - that’s a real point of difference for us.”
Mark added that the collaborative model is already showing promise. “We want to put the client’s issue at the centre - not a templated approach. We do everything, and we will find the best solution - the most efficient, the most creative, the most impactful,” he said.
“There’s a real will to collaborate - not just within Singapore, but across Asia. It’s a very exciting time for everything HAVAS can offer.”
(Pictured L-R: Mark Worthington and James Wright)
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