MAM
Havas Creative strengthens Mumbai team with two senior hires
MUMBAI: Havas Creative has further bolstered its creative offering with two senior hires in its Mumbai office. Gururaj Rao has joined as executive creative director and Durgesh Singh as associate creative director – copy. Both Gururaj and Durgesh will report to Havas Creative national creative director Mayur Hola. The duo will aim to foster creativity at the heart of everything, in line with the Group’s integrated approach manifested in the ‘Havas Village’ model.
Having worked across agencies like Publicis, Ogilvy, JWT and DDB Mudra, Rao has nearly 13 years of experience in advertising. Prior to Havas, he was working with an Indie creative shop Tiqui-Taka. He has worked on brands like Nerolac Paints, Sony Sports, Urban Clap, Dr. Fixit, Fevicol, Skoda, Cadbury 5 Star, Havmor Ice-cream, Volkswagen and HDFC Mutual Fund. Moreover, his work has been recognised at both national and international awards like the Clio Awards, Young Guns, Effies and Abbys. He has been nominated by the Ad Club Bombay for the ‘Young Achievers Award’ as well as being ranked 35th in the Young Guns Global Young Creatives Ranking in 2008.
Singh carries with him eight years of extensive experience in the field of content generation and creative writing with agencies like DDB Mudra and Publicis India. He has worked across brands like HDFC, Skoda, Zee, and Nerolac.
Commenting on the appointments, Mayur Hola said, “Guru brings an infectious energy that Bobby and I are sure will light up the Havas Mumbai office and give it purpose. His interaction with people is at a granular level and he’s just a straight up solid guy who puts his head down and gets work done. We’re very happy to have a kindred spirit such as him on-board. Durgesh is a bright spark. His ideas are just what we need as we add creative muscle to the Mumbai office. We’re sure that Durgesh and Guru will create a powerful alliance and work with the rest as part of a great team.”
“I am really looking forward to being part of this exciting new team and working with Bobby Pawar and Mayur Hola and their vision of a refreshed creative proposition for Havas Group India,” said Rao.
“I feel I've come to Havas at a very interesting time. Havas Group’s integrated operating model and Vivendi (an entertainment powerhouse) parentage creates a world of opportunities. I am excited to be a part of the team and look forward to doing some amazing work,” said Singh.
Digital
Truecaller opens Business Chat platform to global partners and enterprises
Expansion aims to replace SMS with trusted, rich and conversational messaging
MUMBAI: Truecaller has expanded access to its Business Chat platform, opening it up to global channel partners and enterprise solution providers as it looks to reshape how businesses connect with customers.
The move allows partners worldwide to offer the platform to enterprise clients, enabling a shift away from traditional SMS towards a more interactive, verified and media-rich communication experience. The company is positioning this as a higher-trust alternative in an increasingly cluttered digital landscape.
With over 500 million active users globally, Truecaller is betting on its scale and daily engagement to give brands a more direct and credible way to reach consumers. The platform supports contextual conversations, real-time insights and engagement metrics, allowing businesses to fine-tune communication across the customer journey.
“The definition of success for modern enterprises has evolved. It’s no longer just about delivery but about earning attention and driving meaningful engagement,” said Truecaller global head, GTM Priyam Bose. He added that opening the platform to partners creates a gateway for brands to connect with users in a more trusted and action-oriented environment.
The expansion is already underway, with partners such as Gupshup and OneXtel live in India, while Globe Teleservices, Cloudcom and Sling Africa are driving adoption in international markets.
By equipping partners with data-driven tools and a conversational interface, Truecaller aims to help businesses cut through noise and build stronger customer relationships. The platform also promises a cleaner, more secure interaction layer, addressing long-standing concerns around spam and trust in business messaging.
As enterprises rethink customer engagement in a post-SMS world, Truecaller’s latest push signals a clear ambition to become a central player in conversational commerce.
