Fresh blood, fresh perspective: Clemenger welcomes new head of strategy from Havas London

WELLINGTON, Wednesday: Clemenger BBDO has strengthened its leadership team with the hire of Ravi Matharu from as head of strategy, direct from the UK.

Matharu brings experience across both private and public sector clients, spanning the full marketing mix – from PR to service design, advertising and digital – and across sectors, ranging retail to technology, food and drink, energy and numerous governmental departments. 

He will lead the agency’s planning function, working with CCO Brigid Alkema, and MD Brett Hoskin.

Hoskin said: “His global thinking, scale of experience, and sharp perspective will add a distinctive lens to our uniquely Kiwi challenges.”

Matharu said he leaves his seven years at Havas London on a high, after landing Silver at the IPA Effectiveness Awards for Long Live the Local, which used brand level thinking to effect real, political change worth billions to the beer and pub industry.

There he also led the ASDA account and Molson Coors Brewery portfolio, creating new brand positionings and ideas for Carling, Pravha, Sharp’s and most recently, Madri, a beer that has “taken the UK by storm”. 

“This is the brief of my life and I intend to have a lot of fun along the way with the mighty Clemenger folk, making waves.”

Hoskin: “Throughout his career, Ravi has entertained, opened conversations and ignited open-minded debate on issues that matter.

“From the Cannes winning Black Plaque Project to Rhyme4Respect, a safer-sex campaign, which featured in Gordon Brown’s autobiography.

“He’s created new entertainment properties for Three Mobile and Nando’s, developed the Nokia Music Recommender Service – fronted by the one-and-only David Bowie (RIP), and spent three years in-house leading the strategy and implementation of Red Bull Stratos, the Mission to the Edge of Space.

“Ravi was also responsible for the multi-award-winning Every Lesson Shapes a Life brand platform for the Department for Education.

Matharu: “Clemenger creates ideas that move people, because it’s people who move the world. It’s such a powerful line. The irony of it is not lost on me too as I literally moved my life and my wonderful family to New Zealand.

“This opportunity is the brief of my life and I intend to have a lot of fun along the way with the mighty Clemenger folk and make waves.”