MAM
Havas Group India appoints Ravinder Siwach as national creative director for Havas Creative
MUMBAI: Havas Group India has strengthened its leadership in India with the appointment of Ravinder Siwach as national creative director for Havas Creative, effective immediately.
In his new role, Siwach will lead the creative team and drive the next phase of growth for multiple brands under Havas Creative with a focus on further cementing the creative value proposition across all Havas Group India disciplines – creative, media, health, digital, and design. He will report to Havas Group India chairman and chief creative officer Bobby Pawar.
Siwach joins Havas Group India from McCann Delhi, where he was the executive creative director. He has over two decades of experience across agencies such as McCann, DDB Mudra, Contract and brands like Coke, Nestle, Nokia, Reebok to name just a few. Siwach is credited with several award-winning campaigns across national and international awards shows like Cannes, One Show, WARC, Adfest, Spikes Asia, Effies, Abbys and IAA Olive Crown. He has also served as a juror at Adfest and Goafest and is a guest lecturer at various management institutes.
Commenting on the appointment, Havas Group India chairman and chief creative officer Bobby Pawar said “Ravinder has been in this industry for almost two decades and he comes with a rich creative background and experience working on a cross-section of brands and categories. I had the opportunity to work with him in the past and I am confident that his strategic thinking and understanding of the evolving media landscape will take our creative capabilities and output to the next level.”
“I have always admired Bobby as a creative leader and as a human being and excited at the opportunity of working with him at Havas Group India. Havas Group is headed exactly in the direction the future of communication lies. Vivendi companies like Gameloft and Universal Music add depth to the Havas offering and vice-versa which is a huge differentiator in the industry. We have a vision in place at Havas and we are just going to go after it, ‘no holds barred,” added Siwach.
Brands
Yaap Digital acquires 60.2 per cent stake in Gozoop in over Rs 150 crore deal
Strategic tie-up keeps Gozoop independent while building scaled ad ecosystem
MUMBAI: Yaap Digital Ltd has acquired a 60.20 per cent stake in Gozoop Online Pvt Ltd, marking a significant consolidation move in India’s independent advertising landscape.
The acquisition, executed through a share purchase cum shareholders’ agreement, forms the first tranche of a broader deal to acquire 100 per cent of Gozoop in phases. The initial stake was picked up for Rs 36.96 crore, giving Yaap majority control and making Gozoop its subsidiary.
Overall, the transaction is valued at over Rs 150 crore, with additional components including a Rs 7.66 crore share swap expected to close within 90 days. Payments related to excess net working capital are slated for completion by July 2026.
Despite the ownership change, Gozoop will continue to operate as an independent brand, retaining its leadership, identity and culture. The focus, both companies say, is on collaboration rather than consolidation.
Founded nearly two decades ago, Gozoop has built a reputation for its people-first approach and long-tenured leadership team, a rarity in an industry often shaped by global network buyouts. Yaap, on the other hand, brings scale and a tech-led marketing ecosystem spanning content, data and performance solutions.
Together, the companies aim to create an integrated network that blends creativity, media, data and technology, offering clients both agility and scale. The partnership also signals a broader ambition to position Indian agencies as global contenders rather than local participants.
With the deal underway in phases, the coming months will be key in shaping how this alliance translates into a unified yet flexible advertising powerhouse.
