Olly Taylor has been rewarded for leading strategy at Host and Host/Havas for eighteen years by being promoted to chief strategy officer, Havas Creative Group Australia, which coversHost/Havas, Red Havas, One Green Bean, Havas Commerce and a new research and insights capability, Havas Labs. He will also take responsibility for the development of IP and processes for world-class strategy across paid, earned and owned media, on and offline.

Taylor led strategy for Host/Havas’ Black Pencil winning campaign, Palau Pledge, which also became D&AD’s Design Black Pencil of the Decade winner in 2020.

Taylor originally joined Host as its first planning director in 2003 and became CSO of Host/Havas following the merger in 2018. Before joining Host Sydney, Olly spent five years working as a planner at Fallon in London, after beginning his career at DMB&B in 1998.

“It’s rare that you have the chance to work with someone for almost two decades but it’s been a privilege to have done so with Olly,” stated Havas Group ANZ chairman, Anthony Freedman. “He joined Host as a young, but precociously talented brand planner and immediately made an impact, playing a key role in the agency’s success and long list of effectiveness awards. In the many years since, he’s become a complete integrated strategic thinker, a canny spotter of emerging talent, a much respected agency leader and a very dear friend. I don’t know why we didn’t give Olly this broader role years ago….it’s long overdue and much deserved.”

Olly commented,, “It’s no secret strategy runs through my veins and after many years as CSO with Host and Host/Havas I’m truly excited by the opportunity to now lead our Creative Group strategy across brand, creative comms, data, CX, CRM, digital, PR, social and more. Alongside the team, I’m looking to forward to developing integrated strategies that deliver great work, meaningful impact for brands and results across the board. With such great brands in the Havas Creative Group the opportunities are plentiful.”