Havas Takes Majority Stake in Acento, Strengthening H/Advisors' Leadership in Iberia

Feb. 03, 2026

Havas has acquired a majority stake in Acento Public Affairs, Spain’s leading public affairs consultancy, led by Alfonso Alonso and Pepe Blanco. Founded in 2019, the firm employs more than 50 professionals across its offices in Madrid, Barcelona, and Brussels.

Acento will be immediately integrated into H/Advisors, Havas’ global communications and public affairs advisory network, and will expand international advisory services in Spain in coordination with 1,500 professionals across 50 offices worldwide. Acento will rebrand as H/Advisors and remain under the leadership of co-CEOs Alfonso Alonso and Pepe Blanco.

H/Advisors is in a strong expansion phase, having completed several strategic acquisitions in recent years in the fields of communications and public affairs, including Gauly Advisors in Germany; Cunha Vaz & Associados (CV&A) in Portugal; Australian Public Affairs (APA) in Australia; and Klareco Communications in Singapore. H/Advisors has been operating in Spain since 2022 following the acquisition of Tinkle.

Yannick Bolloré, Chairman and CEO of Havas, stated:

“Spain and Portugal are strong markets for Havas, and we are very proud to mark this new phase of leadership for H/Advisors together with our colleagues at Acento, Cunha Vaz, and Tinkle. We are thrilled to welcome Alfonso, Pepe and the entire team at Acento to the Havas family. They will set the benchmark in strategic advisory communications for other regions.”

 

Alfonso Alonso, co-CEO of Acento, commented:

“Joining H/Advisors represents the next natural step for us, and we feel very much at home as we share the same vision, values, and commitment to senior-level advisory for clients operating in complex environments.” He added, “We are becoming part of a major multinational group that is firmly committed to top-tier public affairs, allowing us to become truly global.”

 

European affairs are a strategic priority for H/Advisors. Over the past year, the network has opened a new building in the heart of Brussels, bringing together the teams from Acento Brussels and Gauly Advisors, its penultimate acquisition in Germany, which also maintains a presence at the European Union headquarters.

Stephane Fouks, Executive Chairman of H/Advisors and Executive Vice President of Havas, added:

“This acquisition is a strong way to start the year and reflects the momentum of H/Advisors as we look toward 2026. Public affairs and strategic communications are increasingly central in helping our clients navigate political, regulatory, and reputational complexity. Strengthening our leadership in Spain and Europe, alongside continued investment in priority growth markets such as the United States, is essential to our ambition to build a truly international advisory group.”