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Havas’ Prose on Pixels lands Joris Knetsch to lead APAC charge
MUMBAI: Havas’ AI-fuelled content-at-scale agency Prose on Pixels is ready to switch on the afterburners in Asia Pacific, appointing Joris Knetsch as executive vice-president for the region, effective May 2025.
Based in Singapore, Joris brings over a decade of experience in creative production and digital scaling—including an eight-year stint building Media Monks’ footprint in APAC. His hiring signals a sharp push by Havas to deepen its converged strategy, which unites media, creativity and content under one turbocharged roof.
“With close to a decade of experience in the APAC region, Joris brings invaluable market knowledge and established relationships that will help us accelerate our growth. His deep expertise in technology-driven production makes him the ideal person to lead Prose on Pixels in Asia Pacific,” said Prose on Pixels global CEO Steve Netzley.
The agency—relaunched globally in June 2023—is stitching together Havas’ production capabilities into a single AI-powered powerhouse, already making waves with tech-led hiring and global expansion. Joris will now spearhead the Asian playbook alongside regional leaders including Rowena Bhagchandani, CEO, BLKJ Havas and Pankaj Nayak, CEO, Havas Media Network Singapore.
“Bringing Joris on board helps our business in two ways”, said Havas India group CEO Havas India, south east & north Asia Rana Barua. “First, to officially launch and scale Prose on Pixels in Asia with the right leadership in place. Second, it reinforces our Converged strategy across the region – anchored in media, creative and production – by fostering collaboration and empowering our teams to elevate the value we deliver to our clients.”
“I’m thrilled to be joining Prose on Pixels at such an exciting time,” said Joris Knetsch. “It was immediately clear that the global Prose on Pixels team sees things the same way I do—great content production isn’t just a support act, it’s central to bringing bold creativity and smart media to life in today’s marketing landscape. While many claim to be integrated, with Prose on Pixels launching in Asia, Havas is actually doing it: activating its converged strategy and bringing creative, media, and production together to truly work as one across the region. Asia Pacific is an incredibly dynamic region, and I look forward to helping brands transform how they create and distribute content with speed, efficiency, and impact.”
With its creative-meets-code model, Havas is betting big on Asia—and Joris Knetsch is now in the pilot’s seat.
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Havas Life Mumbai & Shobiz team up to offer experiential healthcare solutions in India
Alliance blends science-led strategy with immersive experiences for pharma brands
MUMBAI: In a move aimed at reshaping how healthcare brands connect with their audiences, Havas Life Mumbai and Shobiz have joined forces to deliver integrated experiential solutions for India’s healthcare and pharmaceutical sector.
The partnership brings together two distinct strengths under Havas India. On one side is Havas Life Mumbai’s deep grounding in medical and scientific communications, and on the other, Shobiz’s expertise in large-scale experiential design and execution. The aim is simple but ambitious: to bridge the long-standing gap between science-heavy strategy and high-impact on-ground experiences.
As healthcare communication grows more complex, the industry is shifting away from traditional messaging towards engagement that is immersive, measurable and compliant. This collaboration seeks to meet that demand by offering end-to-end solutions that connect with healthcare professionals, patients and caregivers in more meaningful ways.
The joint offering will tap into emerging technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality and AI-led interactive platforms. These tools are expected to help simplify complex medical information while making engagement more dynamic and outcome-focused.
Havas Health global chief client officer and CEO Apac-Latam Charles Houdoux said, “By bringing together scientific depth and experience design, we are creating a new model of engagement where knowledge and emotion work hand in hand. This is about improving understanding, building trust and ultimately driving better patient outcomes.”
Havas India group CEO Rana Barua added, “This partnership allows us to move beyond conventional formats and create experiences that are more relevant and impactful for the health and wellness space. It reflects where the future of healthcare engagement is headed.”
Havas Life Mumbai managing director Dorelle Kulkarni noted that brands today need more than just communication. “They need experiences that make complex science easier to understand and inspire action. This collaboration enables us to deliver exactly that, with measurable impact.”
Echoing the sentiment, Shobiz CEO Sameer Tobaccowala said, “The future lies in combining credibility with creativity. Together, we can offer integrated platforms that not only engage but also deliver real business outcomes.”
With this alliance, the Havas network is betting big on experience-led healthcare communication. If executed well, the partnership could set a new benchmark for how medical science is not just communicated, but truly experienced across India.
