Havas Group Media has today announced the promotion of chief client officer, Eleni Sarla, to the role of CEO of Target Group, its specialist culture, film and gaming offering.

In her new position, Sarla is tasked with further strengthening and growing the Target Group business, which boasts 120 staff and comprises Target Media, Target Live, Organic and Superhero, a creative and production agency. Target Group’s clients include Studio Canal, Zenimax (Bethesda), Southbank Centre, Barbican, Picturehouse Cinemas and Live Nation Music UK.

Sarla will also work to ensure that Target Group continues to tap into and leverage the diverse capabilities offered by Havas’ unique HKX Village model.

Originally joining creative agency Havas London as managing partner in 2017, Sarla moved to Havas Group Media as chief client officer in 2018, sitting on the board and heading up the 70-strong Telefonica team.

With an ad industry career that spans 18 years and has seen her located in Sydney, Amsterdam and London, Sarla was formerly a managing partner at Grey London and has also held positions at creative agencies including Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, StrawberryFrog and M&C Saatchi.

Sarla’s promotion follows the departure of Target Group founder and CEO Rob Wilkerson, who left earlier this year after 20 years of running the business.

Havas Group Media’s Telefonica account will now be taken on by Clare Hart, who has been at the agency group since April 2017.

Matt Adams, CEO for UK & Ireland at Havas Group Media, says, “Eleni is a true example of a hybrid leader, with amazing experience of leading client business across creative and media agencies. She is also a self-confessed culture vulture and a big supporter of the arts, making her move to head up Target Group a natural progression. I’d like to congratulate her on this very well-deserved promotion.”