Havas Group evaluates bringing The Annex to India

Havas Group India is closely evaluating the possibility of bringing in culture marketing firm The Annex into India.

 

The Chicago-headquartered agency recently opened its first Asia outpost in Singapore. Vishnu Mohan, chairman and CEO, Havas Group India and SE Asia said that India is the right market to bring in the brand. It would add to the arsenal of offerings that the group has and allow it to flex its muscles in the Indian market. “What Havas has in terms of its arsenal is way different from what its perceptions are in India,” said Mohan. He added that the role of Rana Barua, the agency’s newly appointed Group CEO for the Indian operations, would be to bridge this gap. 

 

Mohan also added that the group is also pursuing inorganic growth opportunities in the country in its quest to present a large bouquet of offerings. “These are areas where client is seeking offerings and areas that will augment growth for the company,” said Mohan, adding that the Havas is eyeing potential acquisitions in the areas of digital transformation, activation, OOH, performance marketing and PR. “Inorganic growth will help in getting the right talent to pace up what we need,” he said. 

 

According to him, potential suitors would need to be culturally compatible with what Havas wants to be and follow the ‘living together’ concept of the village strategy that Havas is implementing globally. “Havas Village uses proximity to its advantage. How do you facilitate collaboration and conversation unless all are sitting in the same space?.” 

 

Markets like Indonesia and Singapore with a singular leadership are beginning to show the value of integration, he said, adding that the Indian market under the new unified structure would reap the benefits of integration sooner than later. 

 

Mohan added that the reintegration in the advertising business is happening in a far more skilled way. “The disintegration (of the past) was helpful as it allowed for creating extremely good skillsets in specialised functions. When we come back together, we are much more stronger as an integrated unit,” he said.