Havas Media names Carey Loh SG CEO as Pankaj Nayak exits

Havas Media Network has appointed Carey Loh (pictured left) as CEO of its Singapore operations, succeeding Pankaj Nayak (pictured right), who is stepping down from the role to pursue other opportunities.

Loh most recently served as client president of WPP Media Singapore from May 2025, having previously held the same position at GroupM Singapore between December 2024 and May 2025.

He brings extensive experience across the media agency network, having spent more than seven years at Mindshare Singapore. He was managing director from January 2021 to November 2024, following a stint as managing partner, client leadership.

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Before that, Loh held several leadership positions across MEC in Hong Kong and China, including managing partner and client lead in Hong Kong, and managing director of its Shanghai operations. He also led Microsoft's global advertising and media activities in China while based in Beijing.

Earlier in his career, Loh was head of digital at Havas Media Group in Beijing from May to December 2009. He also held digital leadership roles at Starcom Media and Euro RSCG.

In his new role, Loh will report to Rana Barua (pictured right above), group CEO of Havas India, Southeast Asia and North Asia. He will focus on strengthening the network's media capabilities, expanding client partnerships, accelerating innovation and building high-performing teams.

Commenting on his appointment, Carey Loh shared that Singapore is an incredibly dynamic market, where businesses are rethinking how they connect with consumers, embrace technology and drive growth.

"By bringing together the right mix of talent, data, technology and creativity, we have an opportunity to help clients build stronger relationships with their audiences and achieve meaningful business outcomes. I look forward to working with our teams and Village partners to strengthen our capabilities, deepen client partnerships and build a future-ready business that creates lasting growth for our clients and our people," he added. 

In tandem, Barua said Singapore remained a critical growth market for Havas Media Network in Asia and played an important role in advancing its "Growth, powered by desire" strategy.

"In a market where consumer expectations are evolving and the media landscape becomes increasingly complex, our focus is on understanding what drives people's choices and translating those insights into meaningful business outcomes. By combining our media expertise with the broader capabilities of the Havas Village, we can deliver more connected, integrated solutions that help our clients stay ahead and unlock new opportunities for growth," he said.

Barua added that the network would continue expanding its core capabilities, including Havas Play, CSA and Havas Market, as it looks to build a more connected media business in Singapore.

"Loh's appointment is an important part of that journey and underscores our commitment to investing in the talent and capabilities that will drive growth for our clients and business in Singapore," he said.

Meanwhile, Nayak joined Havas Media Network in January 2025 as CEO of its Singapore operations and president of Southeast Asia. During his tenure, he focused on strengthening the network's capabilities, building its leadership bench and driving new business growth.

According to Nayak, he established Havas Market and CSA with key regional hires, expanding the agency's capabilities in areas including social and influencer marketing, eCommerce and data. He also built a new leadership team to develop business pipelines, many of which began converting in the second half of 2026.

Under his leadership, Havas Media Singapore secured several new business wins following an extended period of renewal and defense pitches. These included Puma Southeast Asia and Vincar. The agency also expanded its relationship with Direct Asia Insurance to include Budget Direct, with the mandate extending to Havas Play.

Nayak also highlighted the reset of Havas Play's team earlier this year, which helped the agency secure new clients including CAAS/SAA and Paradox Hotels.

"With the right leadership team in place, it was time for me to move into my next challenge," Nayak said. He added that he was currently in discussions to partner with a Singapore-headquartered commercial expansion and growth consultancy but would first take time to rest and recharge before embarking on his next phase in 2027.

Nayak previously spent nearly three years at dentsu Singapore as managing director of its media group, a role he held from April 2022 to December 2024.

Prior to dentsu, he was chief marketing officer at OMD APAC. He also held several regional business development and client leadership positions at Omnicom Media Group, including director of business development for Asia Pacific and regional business director at OMD.

His earlier career included stints at MediaCom in Singapore and Malaysia, Euro RSCG in Hong Kong and India, and MediaCom India.

The leadership change comes amid a series of leadership movements across Havas' Asia Pacific operations. In Singapore, Havas Media Network appointed Teresa Goh as general manager of Havas Play Singapore in April, following the departure of CEO Kenny Yap.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, Havas appointed Charlie Clack as managing director in September, succeeding Andrew Cawte, who retired after 11 years with the agency.

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