Havas Group enters joint-venture with Conran

Havas Group India has entered a joint-venture with Conran Design Group to bring the branding agency in India. Conran is a part of Havas Group with over six decades of experience in building brands – most of which are iconic.

As part of the deal, Conran Design Group will open its third global office in Mumbai. The company has offices in London and New York. According to a press note shared with PrintWeek, 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.

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. Geet has also worked with Tata Group’s Indian Hotels Company (previously The Taj Group of Hotels), where she was driving strategic branding and brand marketing initiatives for its vast portfolio.

This joint-venture is said to allow Havas’ clients to tap into Conran’s expertise in brand strategy, visual identity, branded environment, and packaging, while also providing Conran Design Group’s clients further access to Havas’ global network.

Conran 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.

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

Thom Newton, CEO, Conran Design Group said: “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.”

Conran Design Group is a design-led branding agency founded by Sir Terence Conran – a designer – 65 years ago. Some of its clients include Danone, Shell, Rolls-Royce, Coca-Cola European Partners, Associated British Foods and Sottini among others.

Havas Group is one of the world’s largest global communications groups. Founded in 1835 in Paris, the Group employs 20,000 people in more than 100 countries and operates through its three business units covering all communication activities.