MAM
Hans Mathews joins Havas Media India
MUMBAI: Havas Media India has appointed Hans Mathews as executive director for its west India operations. He will be based out of agency’s Mumbai office.
Mathew’s key mandate will be to drive growth for the group in the western region.
Mathews said, “I am delighted to be a part of the dynamic Havas Media team which has witnessed great momentum in the last few years. I find the agency’s positioning around Meaningful Brands engaging and think the framework offers brands tremendous opportunities to communicate effectively. I am looking forward to contributing to Havas Media’s western operations and taking the business to the next level.”
He joins with seventeen years of experience in the industry, having worked with international agencies in India, MENA and Malaysia. Most recently he was the chief client officer at Mindshare Malaysia where he led Ford’s regional APAC media team managing partnerships with digital and content partners. He was also responsible for managing brands like UL, Maxis, Kraft, Nestle and HSBC. Prior to this Mathews has held leadership roles at Mindshare India, Zenith Optimedia and other leading agencies.
Havas Media Group India and South Asia CEO Anita Nayyar said, “Hans has a rich industry experience working across multiple blue chip brands in different categories. He has been in many leadership positions and has managed critical client relationships. This along with his business development ability makes him ideal to head our Western operations. We are very happy to have him with us.”
“Mumbai and the Western region are at the core of Havas Media India’s operations. Our business in the region has grown tremendously over the years and today we are handling very prestigious clients in that market like Parle, Quikr and many others. Hans, with his astute leadership, will propel our operations further. We warmly welcome him”, added Havas Media India MD Mohit Joshi.
Brands
Pre-seed funding fuels nailinit, India’s new-age nail care brand
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund backs Gen Z-focused beauty startup
MUMBAI: nailinit, a community-first nail care startup targeting Gen Z and millennials, has raised Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 crore in a pre-seed round led by Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund and Marsshot VC, alongside a clutch of consumer, technology and operator angels.
Backed by entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath, Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund is betting on nailinit’s attempt to give India’s nail care aisle a long overdue makeover. The fresh capital will be used to deepen distribution across quick commerce and D2C channels, build its community engine, and accelerate product innovation in a category that is high frequency but still light on strong brands.
Founded by Tanishq Ambegaokar and Shubham Singhal, nailinit is positioning itself at the crossroads of beauty, self-expression and culture. The brand wants nails to be more than a finishing touch. It sees them as a canvas for identity, content and commerce.
“At nailinit, we are building for a generation that sees beauty as self-expression, not just routine,” said Ambegaokar. “The nail category in India has largely been underserved by strong brands. This capital allows us to invest in product depth, community and distribution in a thoughtful and long-term way.”
Singhal added that while the brand’s tone may be playful, its operating focus is sharp. “This round strengthens our supply chain, expands our digital footprint and enables disciplined execution as we scale.”
The funding round drew notable angels including Shashank Kumar of Razorpay, Arjit Johri of Marsshot VC, Yash Jain, formerly of NimbusPost, Karan Jindal of Meta, Jivraj Singh Sachar of ISV Capital, Nishank Jain of Accel, Yashvardhan Kanoi, Ashwarya Garg of HYPD, Venus Dhuria of Phot.AI and Amishi Parasrampuria of The Whole Truth.
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund fund manager Gauri Kuchhal, believes the opportunity lies in shifting habits. “Nail care remains underpenetrated in India, with consumers relying on time-intensive salon visits. As convenience and self-expression gain ground, press-on nails can unlock more frequent and experimental usage. Nailinit is well-placed to expand beyond press-ons into adjacent categories.”
The brand is currently the only nail care player in India blending product-led retail with a dedicated kiosk at Jio World Drive in Bandra, where customers can walk in for services while discovering the range. It has also built early traction across quick commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit, with a launch on Instamart in the pipeline, and is available on Amazon, strengthening its omnichannel presence.
In a space long dominated by salon chairs and scattered labels, nailinit is attempting to file, shape and polish the category into something sharper. With fresh funding in hand, the startup is setting out to prove that in beauty, small details can make a bold statement.
