Havas saw total revenue drop 6% year on year to €325 million in the first quarter of 2009, with organic growth declining by 8.4%.
Its UK division showed “good resistance” however, with organic growth down just 1.6% year on year.
Net new business was €507 million in Q1 2009, down from €510 million in the first quarter of 2008, although the company said business remained strong.
It added that it expects recent wins to positively impact the group’s figures in the second half of the year.
Elsewhere, communications group Aegis has unveiled an 11.6% fall in organic revenue growth for the first quarter of 2009 (see Aegis reports 11.6% Q1 fall in organic revenue).
