Havas Group India brings branding & design group Conran to Mumbai

This joint venture will allow Havas’ clients to tap into Conran’s expertise in brand strategy, visual identity, branded environment, and packaging.

Havas Group India, today announced that it is further strengthening its operation in India with a strategic joint-venture with Conran Design Group; a Havas agency with over six decades’ experience in building iconic brands.

As part of the joint-venture, Conran Design Group opens its third global office in Mumbai to add to successful businesses in London and New York. Conran Design Group Mumbai, with a dedicated team of 15 specialists, supported by Conran Design Group teams globally, will be a huge asset to Havas Group India as it works to deliver a more meaningful difference to its clients.

Headquartered in London, Conran Design Group is founded by renowned designer Sir Terence Conran 65 years ago. It is a design-led branding agency on a mission to help clients realise the value of meaningful design. Some of its clients include Danone, Shell, Rolls-Royce, Coca-Cola European Partners, Associated British Foods and Sottini among others.

The Indian team will be led by Geet Nazir, managing partner, Conran Design Group Mumbai, who comes with 18 years’ experience in New York and Mumbai. Most recently, Geet was with Tata Group’s Indian Hotels Company Limited (previously The Taj Group of Hotels), where she was driving strategic branding and brand marketing initiatives for its vast portfolio.

This joint venture will allow Havas’ clients to tap into Conran’s expertise in brand strategy, visual identity, branded environment, and packaging - a global design perspective with strong local relevance, while also providing Conran Design Group’s clients further access to Havas’ global network.

Conran Design Group is also creating a design innovation unit in Mumbai to research, pilot, and test new design ideas and to partner with local design institutions and colleges to nurture design talent - helping to support the development of the next generation of design influencers.

Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India said “We are very excited to join forces with Conran Design Group (CDG). This joint venture complements our aggressive growth strategy and our mission to create meaningful work for clients. CDG’s competitive advantage of building brand strategy with deep consumer insights will add an enviable strength to Havas Group's portfolio. I am delighted to welcome Thom and the team to the Havas Group Family.”

Thom Newton, CEO, Conran Design Group “I’m very excited about this partnership. India has vibrant creativity at its heart and rich design heritage. The forward-looking Indian consumer demands that global brands re-imagine their experiences and build a relevant local connection. This creates the perfect opportunity to test the impact that design-driven brand experiences can have to inspire, engage, and build long-term brand loyalty. We are confident that this joint-venture with Havas Group will help us become an even stronger identity and we look forward to a meaningful journey ahead, together.”