Close on the heels of the acquisition of Snapworx Mobile, Havas made equally big moves for MPG Philippines, Havas' offline media planning/buying agency: Havas also acquired an industry stalwart, Omnicom Media Group Philippines' President and CEO Hermie De Leon.
MPG Philippines is one of Havas Media's three-agency acquisitions in the country. Havas Media, the sixth-largest in the world's top global advertising and communications giants, now has MPG Philippines, Media Contacts and Snapworx Mobile Inc., now rebranded as Mobext. These three mark Havas Media's expanding ad agency properties in the country. It is worth noting that these three acquisitions were crucial moves on the part of Havas, which notes that:
“The Philippines is a very interesting mobile market.” -- Anthony Rhind, CEO of Havas Digital
Apparently, with the acquisition of crucial companies, Havas moves to complement these with enlisting the services of the media world's best, and one has to admit, former OMG Philippines President and CEO Hermie De Leon is among the Advertising world's finest.
OMG Philippines has expressed its regret in needing to see Hermie De Leon pursue what she herself has termed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity:
"I am very happy at OMG but this opportunity may not come my way again." -- Hermie De Leon, incoming CEO of MPG Philippines
In spite of OMG's loss, Hermie De Leon expresses faith in the people she had trained well:
"Each brand (within OMG) are in good hands."
"OMG is a very stable company... No need for a Mother. Everything in place, including good leaders!" --Hermie De Leon
Barry Cupples, CEO of OMG Asia Pacific also believes that Ms. De Leon's leadership, mentorship and work at OMG have been adequate to depart from the company, but leaving it in great shape, nonetheless:
"We have three great leaders of our brands at OMD, PHD and M2M who have all learned a great deal under Hermie's guidance. They will all be stepping in to fill any void left by her departure." --Barry Cupples, CEO, OMG Asia Pacific
And this is what Mr. Cupples has to say, regarding Ms. De Leon's departure:
“Hermie has been a fabulous colleague and awesome in her role leading our brands. We are sad to see her go but we sincerely wish her all the best in her future endeavors." --Barry Cupples
Indeed, the mark of great leaders is felt by the industry when they have mentored well and leave a company in better shape than it was when they first came in. That is the mark that Hermie De Leon has left in OMG Philippines, a mark that Havas Media may be hoping she'll duplicate in their ranks, as evidenced by the strategic moves they have made to acquire her as a talent, as a brain, as a crucial cog in their business: no less than President and CEO of MPG Philippines.
Here's to great years ahead for MPG Philippines and Hermie De Leon!
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