Virginia Hyland

The trade press has called out Virginia Hyland as an industry pioneer. She successfully launched her own start-up independent agency 15 years ago. As a one-woman band, she single-handedly pitched to clients, knocked out the competition, and created a unique agency that grew to be one of the most respected and largest indies.

Her business was acquired by Havas Media Australia in 2020. Recognising her ability to lead and grow agencies, she was appointed CEO of Havas Media Australia in November 2020 – successfully merging two agencies and developing forward thinking data, as well as digital initiatives, across a breadth of the largest global and local blue-chip brands. She is also an active board director for the Media Federation of Australia, developing the future face of the industry.

Challenger thinking continually attracts marketers to work with Virginia, along with the talented Havas Media leaders, to develop result-driven ideas and campaigns that create attention and influence for marketers and their brands. The work produced by Virginia and her team has been recognised as ground-breaking and world best practice.

She has been invited to judge Cannes Young Lion, Women in Media, Agency of the Year, and the Culture and Business awards on numerous occasions.

She has won numerous awards such as the NSW Finalist Telstra Businesswoman of the Year, the Women in Media top female, the Top 30 Female Power list - Media, Media Agency of the Year Highly Commended and Employer of the Year Finalist.