MAM
Havas Media Group strengthens Indonesian team
MUMBAI: The largest media group in Indonesia, Havas Media Group, has appointed Pranay Shah Singh as head of strategy for Indonesia.
In his new role, Singh will be responsible for strengthening the strategic output on key clients including, XL Axiata, Danone, AXA, LG Electronics and Kakao Talk. He will also work closely with account leads, innovation and new business teams to drive the adoption of group’s proprietary – meaningful brands research and meaningful connections planning process that helps brands connect with people and create shared value for brands and consumers.
He will report jointly to Havas Media Group APAC chief strategy officer SK Biswas and Havas Media Group Indonesia CEO Riadi Sugihtani.
Biswas said, “In addition to his media expertise, Pranay brings with him a lateral thinking approach to consumer insights, branding and business issues that connects well with the Meaningful Brands approach at Havas Media Group. He has also shown great curiosity and enthusiasm for the market and I have no doubt that he will prove to be an asset to our pool of clients, who are banking on our support to reach the next level in their meaningfulness journey .”
Singh joins the agency with ten years of experience in the dynamic Indian media industry, where he developed an expertise in strategic planning, media research, consulting and content marketing, working with multinational media agencies and boutique consulting. His last stint was with ZenithOptimedia India, where he led communications planning for FMCG companies like Reckitt Benckiser and Nestle. His involvement in social initiatives like Dhriti and recognition as a rising media star in India by Brand Equity magazine, are testament to his interest in the evolution of communications, and how it impacts society and culture.
Singh said, “I am delighted to be a part of the expanding Havas Media Group and exploring new media horizons of Indonesia, one of the giants of Southeast Asia that is witnessing unprecedented consumer growth.”
Last year the group launched its second agency brand Arena in the country, which has been on a winning spree nabbing the business of Indofood and LG Electronics.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
