Havas appoints leadership quartet as directors of Uncommon Creative Studio

Havas has appointed four executives from its senior leadership team as directors of recently acquired Uncommon Creative Studio, a move that underlines the shop's US growth ambitions.

Donna Murphy, the New York-based global chief executive of Havas Creative Network and Havas Heath & You, and Frank Mangano, chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Havas Creative Network North America, have joined the Uncommon Creative Studio board, according to Companies House filings.

Also on the board are Alan Adamson, group chief financial officer for Havas UK, and Allan Ross, chief financial officer of Havas Shared Services.

Meanwhile, Uncommon's founders and previous combined majority shareholders – Natalie Graeme, Lucy Jameson and Nils Leonard – have ceased to become persons of significant control. They remain on the board of the company.

Havas UK is now listed as a "person of significant control" with a 51% stake. Havas' four representatives on the company's board give it a majority. 

The founders previously owned close to 90% of the shares, according to Companies House filings. They now will retain a collective 49% stake between them. A number of investors, who put money into the start-up at launch, owned around 10% and have relinquished their shares.

The appointments of Murphy, Mangano, Adamson and Ross reflect Havas's plans for the previously independent shop. Uncommon's desire to expand in the US was a key reason for the deal, which could value the agency at up to £120m in the next six years.

At the time of the deal last month, Yannick Bolloré, the chairman of Vivendi and chief executive of Havas, said being part of a bigger group would help Uncommon "invest and accelerate”.

Havas and Uncommon both confirmed the appointments of the directors but declined to comment further.