Mercedes Erra

Mercedes Erra is the founder of BETC, the leading French advertising agency that bears her name

(she is the E), and Executive President of Havas Worldwide. Settled in Pantin, the close suburbs

of Paris, BETC employs now 1,200 collaborators and has been appointed International Agency

of the year 2019 by Adweek.

A graduate of HEC and the Sorbonne (Masters and Professor of Literature), Mercedes specialises

in the development and management of world renowed brands. She is responsible for the major

strategic shifts of leading brands (health for Danone, youth for Evian, Air France vision « Making

the sky the best place on earth », and Mac Donald’s « Come as you are » to name a few).

On a personal level, Mercedes is involved in numerous initiatives as an advocate in favour of

women, youth, human rights and innovation: the Women’s forum for the Economy and Society,

which she co-founded, The Elle Foundation, the Global Summit of Women and the « Innovation

2030 » Commission. She is also Co-President of the Human Rights Watch French Committee and

Vice-President of the French « filière Communication » (Communications Industry) since 2016.

Additionally, Mercedes Erra was nominated as chairwoman of the Museum of Immigration History

in January 2010 and became chairwoman of The Palais de la Porte Dorée in 2012. She is also

Vice-President of the board of directors of the French National Commission for UNESCO, a board

member of the Collège de France Foundation, the France Télévisions Foundation, the SNCF, and

member of the supervisory board of Roche Bobois.

Mercedes Erra is Officer in the French Legion of Honor as well as an Officer in the National Order

of Merit, and Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters. In her spare time, Mercedes is the

proud mother of five boys.