Havas Media names Pankaj Nayak president of SEA

Havas Media Network has appointed Pankaj Nayak as the new CEO of Havas Media Network Singapore and SEA president of Havas Media, effective immediately.  Nayak will report to Rana Barua, group CEO, India, SEA and North Asia. 

In his role, Nayak (pictured) will advance Havas' converged strategy across SEA, grow Havas Media Network's new core capabilities in activation, commerce and data and tech to enhance growth, innovation and client impact. Additionally, he will focus on building expertise through strategic alliances and acquisitions to further strengthen regional offerings.  

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Prior to taking on the role with Havas, Nayak was managing director, media group, Singapore at dentsu international. He also held the role of president, product strategy and delivery, media, at dentsu international where he set up and drove product capabilities across performance, commerce, experience, data tech analytics and media effectiveness for the media group at dentsu Singapore, according to his LinkedIn. 

Overall, Nayak brings 25 years of experience across various Asian markets, including 17 years in Singapore where he worked with clients such as National Heritage Board, the national council for problem gambling, and other whole of government businesses. 

He is also no stranger to the Havas network, having previously been with the agency during its Euro RSCG days. Nayak returns to lead the agency’s growth strategy, foster innovation, and drive impactful client solutions, working closely with Russell Lai, chief commercial officer of Havas Media Network Singapore, and Kenny Yap, chief operating officer of Havas Play.

Nayak also previously lead new businesses at OMG's as its APAC director, and lead business development as OMD's regional business director. In tandem, he held roles at MediaCom India, MediaCom Malaysia and MediaCom Singapore too. 

"Asia’s diverse and rapidly evolving markets demand a leader who understands the nuances of each market, and what it takes to drive growth. Nayak brings to us deep regional experience, and his expertise in driving global and regional client businesses, developing product capabilities and verticals, and fostering high-performance teams is the ideal fit for this role," said Barua. 

On his new role, Nayak said "I’m thrilled to join the network during such an exciting phase of growth in the region. The opportunity to lead the media team in Singapore, while contributing to the broader SEA region, is incredibly exciting."

"My conversations with Barua have been incredibly fruitful, and with Havas’ converged strategy—alongside the growth potential in the region—was a major factor in my decision to join Havas. I look forward to working with the team to drive growth by leveraging our collective regional strengths to deliver impactful, integrated solutions that meet our clients' evolving needs," he added. 

Nayak joins Havas Media Network as the agency network undergoes transformational growth to foster local and global integration. Most recently, Havas CX, the global customer experience network of Havas strengthened its presence across Southeast Asia with the new offering helmed out of Singapore.

With a network spanning 18 major Havas Villages worldwide, including hubs in London, Paris, New York, and Mumbai, the expansion aims to bring together the UI/UX and experience design expertise of Think Design along with the capabilities of Ekino, the technology and digital transformation specialist operating in Singapore since 2017.

Nayak replaces Jacqui Lim as CEO of Havas Media Network Singapore, who stepped down from the role in April 2024. Lim was also the chief growth officer for SEA and North Asia. She decided to move from the agency to pursue other interests, eventually becoming the chief commercial officer of Singapore's national media network and content creator, Mediacorp, in May 2024. 

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