Havas India has appointed Manas Lahiri as its chief growth officer, tasking him with driving strategic growth initiatives and strengthening client partnerships across the network’s 25 agencies in the country. Lahiri, who will be based in Mumbai, will report to Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas India, SEA, and North Asia. This marks Lahiri’s return to Havas, where he previously served in various capacities, including managing director of Havas Creative India. His new role is aimed at advancing Havas India’s growth ambitions and fostering innovative business opportunities.
“Manas’ return to Havas India comes at a crucial time as we continue our strong momentum as a proven integrated and future-facing network. With Havas India’s phenomenal transformation over the past few years, we needed a proven leader to scale our growth ambitions further. Manas’ strategic acumen, extensive industry experience, and deep understanding of our network’s values make him the ideal choice to take on this role. He will also be pivotal in advancing our Converged strategy, working closely with Sanchita Roy and John Thangaraj – our respective chief strategy officers of the media & creative networks.” Rana Barua, group CEO, Havas India, SEA, and North Asia, said.
With over two decades of experience spanning advertising, brand marketing, and business leadership, Lahiri has held senior positions at agencies such as Ogilvy, McCann, and VML India. He has worked with leading brands like Samsung, Lenovo, Amazon, and Coca-Cola, and began his career in sales and marketing with Motorola and Samsung. This dual perspective of client and agency roles has shaped his expertise in building growth strategies and delivering integrated solutions. During his previous tenure at Havas, Lahiri was instrumental in reshaping the agency and securing significant business wins.
“I am thrilled to rejoin Havas India at such an exciting juncture. Havas has always been close to my heart, and the network’s journey of transformation into a consolidated, client-centric ecosystem is truly inspiring. I look forward to contributing to this next phase of growth by driving meaningful partnerships, fostering innovation, and building on the strong foundation created by Rana and the team. I look forward to partnering with all the fabulous leaders in this journey.” Manas Lahiri, chief growth officer, Havas India, added.