Dave Harland

Background

About Dave Harland

Having been brought up in Belfast and schooled at Methodist College Belfast and Durham University, I have worked in advertising and communications for over 35 years, starting out in SSCB:Lintas London, before heading back to Irish shores to open up a local Initiative Media office in Dublin in 1994. In 2005, I founded Omnicom Media Group Ireland as a stand-alone media agency and under my leadership as CEO, we were the fastest growing network almost every year from inception. The success of OMD pathed the way for the launch of a second media agency, PHD, in 2008, and both agencies were significant award winners with OMD winning Agency of the Year in 2014 and PHD in 2015 and 2018. Ultimately, we created a diverse, multi-faceted organization where Client Service transitioned to Business Partnership, Media Budgets to Commercial Investment and Rate-Card Discounts to Marketing Science. Stepping down as CEO in August 2019 and Director Emeritus in September 2020, I now work in an advisory capacity for partners in areas of interest such as Marketing Science, Video Content and Communications. I am a Founder of The Brainfood Store, an event management company which focuses on bringing high quality speakers and leaders in business and marketing together to discuss and share learnings and experiences. In addition, I have also been, for the past 20 years, a Board Member of the Dublin Fringe Festival, Ireland’s largest multi-disciplinary arts festival. Specialties: Communications Strategy, Media Procurement and Analytics