Creative communications agency Leagas Delaney has appointed Gareth Davies in the newly created role of UK Managing Director.

The role was created to support the London office as the agency – which also has offices in Hamburg, Shanghai, LA and Milan – experiences a period of rapid growth and digital transformation.

Following the appointment of Fergus Hay as CEO in 2017 and will enable Leagas Delaney to operate a consolidated UK office, while continuing to increase the agency’s exposure globally.

Davies will report directly to Hay, having spent the last 12 years working at Havas.

There, he held a number of senior roles across the group’s agencies, including MD of Havas London, acting Managing Director of Cake, and most recently, Managing Partner in Havas helia. Prior to his time at Havas, he was Marketing Director at the NFL.

Leagas Delaney is one of the world’s best-known independent creative communication agencies, and was founded in 1980.

Its clients include Bosch, BASF, Britvic, Pernod Ricard and Patek Philippe. It was founded by award-winning advertising pro Tim Delaney, once described as the “Gordon Ramsay” of advertising.

Gareth Davies said:

“Leagas Delaney is a rapidly growing global agency with huge ambition to use creativity to propel the growth of its clients.

Its entrepreneurial spirit, creative heritage, innovative approaches to agency compensation models and raft of exciting hyper growth clients are an intoxicating mix. I’m hugely excited to join the London team and use my experience to continue its successful growth.”

Fergus Hay, CEO, said: “The global demand for growth by the new digitally disruptive clients is exhilarating.
Securing top class integrated leadership talent like Gareth is paramount to delivering for these new types of clients, and leading Leagas Delaney into its 40th year as an independent global creative agency creating ideas that change businesses.

“Never have we been so confident in the primary role of creativity in our client’s growth trajectory than in the decade ahead.”