Havas India bolsters leadership across network

Havas India, a part of the Paris-based global communications network Havas, has announced a significant leadership transition affecting three key agencies under the Havas Creative Network India umbrella. These include Havas Worldwide India (creative), Conran Design Mumbai (brand design), and Havas CX India (customer experience).

Kundan Joshee, previously managing partner at Havas Worldwide India, has been promoted to managing director of the India operations.

Anupama Ramaswamy, who served as chief creative officer at Havas Worldwide India, will take on the additional role of joint managing director alongside her CCO responsibilities.

Geet Nazir, formerly managing partner at Conran Design Mumbai, has been promoted to managing director of the agency.

Prashant Tekwani, previously Managing Partner at Havas CX India, has been elevated to Managing Director of both Havas CX India and Ekino (technology) India.

The Havas Creative Network India now comprises eight agencies and has seen steady growth attributed to global expertise, acquisitions, new business acquisitions, a strong talent pool, and several award wins. Havas Worldwide India, Conran Design Mumbai, and Havas CX India have been pivotal in positioning the overall network as one of the most future-ready in the country.

Additionally, the Creative Network includes Think Design (UI/UX) led by CEO Deepali Saini, Shobiz (experiential) led by CEO Sameer Tobaccowala, PR Pundit Havas Red (public relations) led by CEO Archana Jain, Havas People (employer branding) led by Managing Director Arindam Sengupta, and Prose on Pixels (production) led by Vice President – Operations Makarand Nirmal.

The leadership team comprising Kundan, Geet, Prashant, Anupama, Sameer, Archana, Deepali, Arindam, and Makarand will continue reporting to Rana Barua, Group CEO of Havas India, South East Asia, and North Asia (Japan & South Korea).

Despite some leadership changes over the past year at Havas Worldwide India, both Anupama and Kundan have played crucial roles in consolidating the agency and strengthening client relationships with key clients like Reckitt, Stellantis, MamaEarth, Suzuki, William Grant, UTI Mutual Fund, and Harman.

Conran Design Mumbai, established in 2021 under Geet Nazir’s leadership, has grown to become a prominent brand and design consultancy in India. The agency has secured clients such as Zydus Lifesciences, PayU, Coca-Cola India, Nestle, and Usha Martin, among others. Geet’s elevation underscores the agency’s continued growth trajectory.

Prashant Tekwani has been instrumental in leading Havas CX in India since 2020, building a strong CX team along with Ekino and securing major clients including Bandhan Life (formerly Aegon Life), Bosch Mobility Services, Tata Steel, STT Telecommunications, and Air Asia. Havas CX India, under Prashant’s leadership, is set to expand its operations in the region, focusing on areas like CRM, technology, loyalty, and talent acquisition.

“Over the past few years, our focus has been on enhancing our expertise and solidifying our position as the most progressive communications network in India. While our Media Network, under the leadership of Mohit Joshi, Uday Mohan, R Venkat, and Shibu Shivanandan, has thrived, Havas Creative Network India has grown exponentially both organically and inorganically and has built the creative repertoire of Havas India,” Rana Barua said.

“Kundan, Anupama, Geet, and Prashant have been instrumental in scaling up the operations of their respective agencies, demonstrating resilience and genuine leadership qualities,” Rana continued. “As we transition towards a new phase of growth, I am confident that these four leaders will play an even greater role in driving our growth, both within India and on a global scale. Their dedication and leadership is paving the way for our future success. I wish them all the best.” Campaign India