Frank Bodin will leave Havas before the end of the year
Frank Bodin, Chairman and CEO of Havas in Switzerland with offices in Zurich and Geneva, will leave the agency at his own request later this year.
"A difficult decision, but the desire for change and new challenges has grown over the past two years," Bodin commented on his motivations in a statement Tuesday.
Frank Bodin will continue to be responsible for the agencies in the coming months as before until the group announces a new management structure. The Geneva-based Havas Office, which performed exceptionally well in 2017, is already led by Damien Fournier. "The announcement of my departure is deliberately made at an early stage. Those who know me know how close I feel to the employees, the clients and the Havas network after all these years, and that the successful transition of the agency into a new era is close to my heart," said Frank Bodin.
Thomas Funk, Managing Director Havas Europe, comments on the upcoming change: "We will use Frank's exit to further develop the structure of the Havas Group in Switzerland. We will be announcing details of this in the coming weeks. At this point, however, my main concern is to thank Frank for a great and successful time, during which he played a key role in shaping the Havas brand and successfully anchoring it in the Swiss market."
Frank Bodin took over the management of the then Euro RSCG in 2001 and managed to develop the agency group into one of the leading addresses in terms of strategy and creativity. During this time, Bodin made a name for himself not only as a creative, but also as a turnarounder and entrepreneur. In 2011, Frank Bodin was also entrusted with the restructuring of Havas Vienna, which he led as CEO until 2013. He also managed the turnaround and digital transformation in Austria. In addition, Bodin was influential in setting up the European Creative Council and was Chairman of the Global Creative Council from 2014 to 2016. In 2009, Frank Bodin was named "Advertiser of the Year" by Werbewoche.
What Frank Bodin's plans are after he leaves is still open to him at the moment: "I haven't yet decided whether I'll stay in communications. Thanks to my diverse interests and experience, new paths are open to me. Challenges have always inspired me and accordingly I look forward to them."
As Bodin explained to Werbewoche, however, he will remain president of ADC Switzerland and will also continue his other commitments in the communications industry. (pd/hae)
