MAM
Havas Media Group doubles down on strategy with appointments from Nike and Sopexa
MUMBAI: Havas Media Group furthers its commitment to meaningful media with two new additions to its global team. Thomas Minc joins the media team as Managing Director, Global Strategy, and Ellen Zaleski as Managing Director, Global Insights. Both Minc and Zaleski report to Havas Media Group’s Global Chief Strategy Officer, Greg James. The duo will co-lead Havas Media Group’s ongoing initiative to translate data into tangiblenext steps through updates to processes, media metrics, and tools for the entire Group.
Greg James comments: “I am excited about Thomas and Ellen joining the global media team, as we’ve seen a significant appetite from clients to return to the core of media—great insight, clear strategy and brilliant, hard-working media thinking. We’re looking at the bigger picture, keeping out of the weeds and re-focusing on media itself which is exactly what clients need in a complex landscape.”
Zaleski joins Havas Media Group from footwear and apparel giant Nike, where she was Director of Consumer Knowledge. In her new role at Havas Media, Zaleski will work to build and further developthe insights-based services forHavas Media Group and its clients.
Ellen Zaleski says: “This is an opportunity to redefine media for our teams, our clients, and the industry. Our commitment to meaningful media is enabling us to set new standards and goals, and to lead through innovation.”
Thomas Minc first joined Havasin 2010, and over seven years worked in various roles, from Research Analyst up to VPGroup Directorleading Havas Sports & Entertainment. In 2016, he left to become Managing Director ofSopexa USA, a global integrated marketing agency.
Minc will focus on the implementation of a new strategic planning process, support local and global strategy teams, andshare thought leadership across the Havas Media network and wider industry.
Minc says: “It’s great to be returning to Havas, there’s been so much positive change—from the renewed focus on meaningful media to our increased attention on our ways of working and our culture. The progression is impressive, and this is just the beginning.”
Brands
Big Bowl appoints Lyxel & Flamingo as social and media partner
QSR brand eyes next growth phase after crossing Rs 100 crore ARR milestone
MUMBAI: Big Bowl, one of India’s largest bowl-format quick service restaurant brands from Lenexis Foodworks, has appointed Lyxel & Flamingo (L&F) as its social and media partner as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The partnership comes after the brand crossed the Rs 100 crore annual recurring revenue milestone in 2025 and aims to help accelerate its journey towards Rs 150 crore ARR in its fifth year since launch.
Big Bowl currently operates more than 250 kitchens across 50 cities and has emerged as a major player in India’s organised bowl-format food segment. Built around hearty portions and delivery-first convenience, the brand offers a wide mix of Indian, Chinese and fusion bowls designed for quick, affordable and portable consumption.
As urban consumers increasingly gravitate towards easy-to-carry and value-driven meal formats, the company sees the bowl category as a scalable format aligned with modern eating habits.
With the appointment of Lyxel & Flamingo, Big Bowl plans to consolidate its social media and digital media operations under a single partner. The move is intended to sharpen its digital reach, strengthen youth-focused storytelling and improve performance marketing outcomes.
Lyxel & Flamingo, one of India’s largest independent digital-first agencies, manages more than 350 brands and oversees advertising spends exceeding $100 million across its network.
Under the mandate, the agency will handle Big Bowl’s social media strategy, content development, digital performance marketing, media planning and buying, as well as campaign amplification across platforms.
Commenting on the partnership, Lenexis Foodworks founder and director Aayush Madhusudan Agrawal said, “Big Bowl has scaled rapidly to cross Rs 100 crore ARR and established itself as one of the largest bowl-format brands in the country. As a delivery-first, digitally native brand, our next phase of growth will be driven by sharper performance systems and stronger brand storytelling. Consolidating social and media with Lyxel & Flamingo allows us to integrate data, creativity and media precision as we scale towards our next revenue milestone.”
Lenexis Foodworks marketing head Vikas Iyer, added that the delivery-led category requires content, media and performance marketing to work closely together.
“With Lyxel & Flamingo, we aim to build a sharper social voice, stronger acquisition systems and measurable impact, ensuring the brand scales not just in presence but also in precision,” he said.
Lyxel & Flamingo chief executive officer Dev Batra, said the agency will combine data-driven marketing with creative storytelling to support Big Bowl’s growth. “Big Bowl brings the flavour, and L&F brings the fire. Our strategy combines data-led performance with engaging storytelling to help build a strong digital brand presence while delivering measurable business results,” he said.
With this partnership, Big Bowl is looking to strengthen its position as a digitally driven QSR brand, blending brand-building with performance marketing as it scales within India’s rapidly growing organised food delivery market.
