Donna Murphy

Global CEO, Havas Creative Network and Havas Health & You

Donna Murphy joined the Havas network in 1987 and has been growing and scaling the business since the day she joined.

Donna Murphy joined Havas’ M&A team from Goldman Sachs over 35 years ago. She was quickly offered a role to lead a health agency and she and her team built what is now the largest health and wellness communications network in the world in Havas Health & You. This incredible success, along with her profound contribution as a member of Havas’ Executive Committee, led her to add oversight of the Havas Creative Network to her remit in 2022. She now leads over 16,000 employees around the world at more than 80 multidisciplinary marketing and communications businesses in over 70 countries.

From humble beginnings, Donna is an active philanthropist and very devoted to charitable endeavors. She is a member of the Leadership council of Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program. Additionally, she is on the board for Futures in Education and a board member of Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere). An alumna of Pace University, Donna now sits on its board of trustees.

Under Donna’s leadership, Havas Health & You was named Agency/Network of the Year by Medical Marketing & Media (MMM), one of Ad Age’s Best Places to Work in 2020 and a Great Place to Work in 2021. The network has also achieved double digit organic growth for 10 consecutive years and expanded to lead globally in capabilities, geographic footprint and book of clients.

Throughout her career, Donna has been recognized for her many achievements, in both professional and philanthropic work. Most recently, she was named a 2022 SOPA honoree where she received the Leaders in Management Award from her alma mater, Pace. She was named Advertising Person of the Year by Med Ad News, one of the Most Influential Women of the Year by The Irish Voice and earned the 2017 Irish America Business 100 Award. She was ranked third on the MM&M and PRWeek Health Influencer 50 list and named Executive of the Year by the Arthritis Foundation. Donna also was also named One of the 100 People Who Make Advertising Great by the 4A’s and Named to MM&M’s Hall of Femme. After these many years, Donna remains passionate about making a meaningful difference in the world through her leadership, mentorship and global impact.