MAM
Havas Health & You to broaden APAC offering with Sorento buy
MUMBAI: Havas Group is expanding its capabilities and footprint in the important and burgeoning Indian market by adding Sorento to its roster of agencies. Sorento will integrate the Havas Health & You business unit and be rebranded Havas Life Sorento. This strategic acquisition will allow Havas to further develop its regional presence and add to its depth and breadth in India to deliver for global clients.
Sorento’s current client base is a strong and complementary mix for Havas’ health-and-wellness activities, with such international clients as Abbott, Johnson & Johnson, MSD, along with local pharmas including Alkem, Dr. Reddy’s, Finlinea Healthwits, Glenmark and Torrent. The agency is well regarded by clients and peers and is the only Indian healthcare agency to have won the prestigious Cannes Lion.
Yannick Bolloré, CEO, Havas Group, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Sorento to our group. The team will partner with Havas Health & You India to create a broader health-and-wellness offering in the region for our existing global clients and provide a new infusion of energy that will allow us to expand our APAC capabilities.”
Following the acquisition, the management team of Susan Josi and Sangeeta Barde—Sorento’s co-founders and managing partners—will continue to head up the team of more than 70 health-and-wellness comms professionals. Josi and Barde will report to Charles Houdoux, CEO, Havas Health & You APAC, and will work closely with local Havas India management for day-to-day operations.
Barde and Josi said: “At Sorento we passionately believe that even complex healthcare brand problems can be solved with insightful and creative ideas. Our years of dedication and the commitment of many people who have been associated with Sorento have allowed us to forge strong partnerships with our clients and help build their brands in India. Joining hands with Havas will equip us to look beyond our current frontiers and make us an even more valued partner in India and beyond.”
Josi, with a Master’s in Pharmacy and Management, has more than 28 years of experience in the healthcare sector. Barde has more than 22 years of experience in pharma marketing and healthcare communications and trained as a microbiologist before going on to earn a Master’s in Marketing Management.
“The Sorento culture of innovative, best-in-class client service makes it an ideal fit for the Havas Health & You family. Its integrated approach to brand stewardship has resulted in long-term relationships with clients, which also aligns with our client-first philosophy,” added Donna Murphy, CEO, Havas Health & You.
Brands
FSS names Anand Krishnamurthi head of global digital delivery
Tech veteran to drive AI-first, cloud-led transformation in payments globally
CHENNAI: Financial Software and Systems (FSS), an AI-first payment infrastructure company, has appointed Anand Krishnamurthi as head of global digital delivery.
In his new role, Anand Krishnamurthi will lead FSS’s global digital delivery capabilities, focusing on AI-first and cloud-led transformation while ensuring predictable, high-quality outcomes for customers worldwide. He will be based in Chennai and report to V. Balasubramanian, CEO of FSS.
Bringing 28 years of experience in technology and digital transformation across banking, capital markets, financial services, and insurance, Anand has held senior leadership positions at Cognizant and NuSummit. He is recognised for scaling multi-geography delivery teams, leading mission-critical platforms, and embedding AI-driven automation in complex, regulated environments.
“What drew me to FSS is its deep payments expertise, strong product DNA, and the scale at which its platforms power real-world financial ecosystems,” said Anand Krishnamurthi. “I aim to strengthen delivery predictability, execution rigor, and engineering quality, building empowered teams that deliver measurable customer outcomes. FSS has a unique opportunity to create real-time, AI-infused payments infrastructure that is resilient, secure, and globally scalable.”
V. Balasubramanian added, “Anand’s track record in leading multi-geography delivery programs and AI-first operating models makes him the ideal leader for FSS as we accelerate our AI-driven digital payments business. His leadership will help us raise the bar for outcomes globally.”
This appointment is part of FSS’s broader push to build an AI-powered, cloud-native delivery organisation capable of meeting the evolving needs of banks, fintechs, and financial institutions worldwide.
