ADIEU 2020! “ This issue of our magazine does not dwell on the past because we believe that the new year marks what is only the beginning of our better, brighter future.” The other day I read an article about the We will not miss you but we are thankful team who manage the Oxford English to you for the precious lessons you have Dictionary. Every November, they sit down taught us. and choose a word that defines the year gone by, but for 2020, they told the world The creativity exhibited for our clients they could not possibly narrow it down this year has been astonishing and a true to just one. Think about when we hung testament to our belief that people are our up our calendars last year. We had never Group’s most precious asset. As we move even heard of “Covid-19.” We hadn’t been into 2021, we must bring the same drive in “lockdown” or stuck in “quarantine.” and brilliance to the table as we did during We hadn’t yet tried to“flatten the curve,” the most testing days of this year. hadn’t applauded “essential workers” There is a lot to be optimistic about as or coped with the “WFH” and parenting we approach the end of this historic year. juggle. We weren’t skilled on “Zoom,” Our relationship with Vivendi has never we weren’t up to speed on “Teams,” a been more valuable and the unrivalled colleague had never had to tell us that collaborative capabilities of our wider we were still “on mute” in the middle of a Group will elevate our mission to make meeting. a meaningl difference. It is a privilegedfu position that we are in. The pandemic has given us a sense of clarity, and not just about the state of ourOur generation has been tasked to global healthcare systems or our business. solve the global climate crisis and our We’ve had the time to really stop and future depends on creating an equitable consider the stark reality of the planet’s business for all. More than ever, we need climate emergency and how we should be to focus on our Group’s CSR goals and the ones making a difference. This year commitments to truly make a difference has shined a light on the state of social to our clients and to the future of our injustice and equality in our world and planet in more ways than one. pushed us to set the wheels in motion and commit to change. 2020 has brought out I am so proud of everything we have thebest in everyone at Havas. It is the achieved together throughout this resilience and talent of our people that “unprecedented” year, which we have allowed us to guide ourclients through the dedicated this edition of Dare! to. This worst times. issue of our magazine does not dwell on the past because we believe that the new On a personal level, I know that I am not year marks what is only the beginning of the same person I was last January, and our better, brighter future. maybe you feel the same. This experience has taught me so much about myself and Yannick Bolloré the people around me. It’s been a lesson in appreciation and a recognition of the Chairman & CEO Havas Group value there is in the little things in life. We will never take human connection or our precious relationships for granted again. I could spend all day writing a list of all the words that defined this year, but I think at this point, that’s useless. It is now time to say “adieu 2020”. 7 DARE!