HS&E, which includes agencies and , is the brand engagement division of Havas Group.
Its new arm, HS&E Russia, is based in Moscow and aims to cement the group's presence in the country ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and the 2018 Fifa World Cup which will be played in cities around Russia.
HS&E Russia was created from a team within agencies MPG and Arena Magic Box, both part of the Havas Group. The team had been operating in Russia for the last seven years, focusing on sponsorship and brand entertainment with clients including Heineken, Hyundai and Lexus.
The team’s leader Maria Gavrilova will be managing director of HS&E Russia.
Gavrilova said: "The opening of HS&E Russia comes at a very strategic time, as Russia continues to attract an increasing number of international events. Crucially we have the local insight and can benefit from the support of the global HS&E network to help both local and international brands develop long-term relationships with Russian consumers."
Lucien Boyer, president of HS&E, added: "Russia will be hosting several major global sporting events in the coming years. Our experience working for 10 Olympic sponsors around London 2012 combined with our global track record with major sports and entertainment stakeholders and brands, notably with the Fifa World Cup, gives us the expertise to advise clients looking to connect with consumers around these big events."
The new office will also add to creative services already offered in Russia by Havas’s advertising agency Euro RSCG.
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