MAM
Media speculation rife on Karmazin’s next stop
MUMBAI: After Viacom what does Mel Karmazin have next up his sleeve? That is the big question doing the rounds of US media circles.
There has been strong talk that Karmazin might join Disney in the near future by succeeding Michael Eisner as the CEO. That is something Roy Disney and the dissident group would be cock a hoop about. The differences between Eisner and Roy Disney have been well documented.
However, not surprisingly, Disney chairman George Mitchell reacted to the talk by issuing a statement saying, “The board has complete confidence in the current management. On the strength of our recent results we believe that confidence has been justified, and will be further validated as our performance continues to improve.”
The Disney talk has been gaining momentum because Eisner’s top deputy, Bob Iger is not seen as a potential heir to the Disney throne. Karmazin is said to be on a list of at least 20 candidates the Disney board has compiled for succession.
There has also been talk of Karmazin heading to Time Warner. A report in CBS Marketwatch stated that while Time Warner chairman and CEO Richard Parsons has thus far been able to keep shareholders happy, should Time Warner stumble again Karmazin could well be called upon to revive the giant. In fact rumours of Time Warner looking at Karmazin go back over a year when the outfit was called AOL Time Warner. At that time he had been courted to serve as president of the media conglomerate.
There is also the possibility of Karmazin being tapped to function as Parsons’ number 2, but that remains another long shot.
Media reports are also of the opinion that Karmazin going to NBC Universal is a more distant shot. That is because NBC is going though a difficult phase. On his part Karmazin has maintained that so far he has not intimated anybody about his future plans.
Brands
Havas reports solid Q1 2026 with 2.5 per cent organic net revenue growth
Advertising group maintains positive momentum and confirms full-year guidance.
MUMBAI: Havas has started 2026 on a strong note proving that even in uncertain times, its converged model continues to deliver. The global advertising and communications group reported net revenue of €638 million for the first quarter of 2026, representing organic growth of +2.5 per cent compared to the same period last year. This performance was driven particularly by a robust +7.4 per cent organic growth in the United States.
Total revenue for the quarter reached €667 million, with organic growth of +2.8 per cent. Recent acquisitions contributed a positive scope impact of +1.7 per cent, while foreign exchange movements had a negative impact of -5.8 per cent, mainly due to the US dollar and British pound.
Europe, which accounts for 50 per cent of net revenue, delivered +1.1 per cent organic growth, supported by a good performance in France. North America (36 per cent of net revenue) led the way with +7.4 per cent growth, thanks to strong contributions from both Havas Creative and Havas Media. APAC & Africa (8 per cent) saw a decline of -6.2 per cent, while Latin America (6 per cent) remained nearly stable at -0.6 per cent.
Havas chairman and CEO Yannick Bolloré said, “Havas has started 2026 on a solid footing, continuing its momentum and delivering organic growth in net revenue of +2.5 per cent. This performance, in line with our full-year 2026 guidance, was driven in particular by continued strength in the US.”
The group also continued its bolt-on acquisition strategy, acquiring majority stakes in four agencies during the quarter: Acento Public Affairs (Spain), Ctrl Digital (Sweden), Styleheads (Germany), and Eyesight (France).
Havas maintained its strong creative reputation, ranking as a top holding company in the WARC Creative 100 for the sixth consecutive year, with three agencies BETC, Havas Paris, and Havas India placing in the Top 50.
Looking ahead, Havas confirmed its 2026 guidance: organic net revenue growth between +2.0 per cent and +3.0 per cent, adjusted EBIT margin between 13.2 per cent and 13.5 per cent, and a dividend payout ratio of around 40 per cent. The group also reiterated its medium-term targets for 2028.
Despite ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, Havas enters the rest of the year with solid fundamentals and confidence in its ability to deliver sustainable, profitable growth.
In a challenging environment, Havas is proving that its integrated, client-centric model remains resilient delivering steady growth while continuing to invest in creativity and innovation. The first quarter results suggest the group is well-positioned to navigate the year ahead with confidence.
