Brands
Varun Shah takes on global creative transformation lead role at Publicis Production
India lead expands remit to steer global production and scaled craft
MUMBAI: Varun Shah is adding a global brief to his growing remit at Publicis Production, stepping into the role of global creative transformation lead while continuing to helm responsibilities in India.
In his new position, Shah will focus on driving the next phase of production transformation, blending creativity, creators and technology to deliver work at scale. His mandate spans key markets including the US, UK and France, with delivery hubs across Canada, Colombia, Budapest and India.
Shah currently serves as managing partner at Publicis Production in India, where he leads the production centre of excellence across brands, aimed at unlocking the full power of the group’s capabilities in the market.
With over a decade in production and content, Shah’s journey has moved fluidly between advertising and cinema. Before his current stint, he held multiple leadership roles at Prodigious Worldwide, including managing partner and head of prodigious and content factory india, as well as executive vice president and senior vice president roles leading prodigious india.
His earlier innings saw him as executive producer at Dharma Productions, where he worked on the company’s foray into branded and digital content through its Dharma 2.0 initiative.
Shah’s foundation in storytelling was laid in independent cinema. He produced the critically noted Tu Hai Mera Sunday, which travelled to international festivals including the BFI London Film Festival and the Mumbai Film Festival.
From co-producing projects in New York to building production pipelines in India, Shah’s career has been shaped by a cross-border perspective. That global lens now sits at the heart of his new role, as Publicis Production looks to scale craft and creativity in an increasingly tech-led content ecosystem.
Brands
Havas reports solid Q1 2026 with 2.5 per cent organic net revenue growth
Advertising group maintains positive momentum and confirms full-year guidance.
MUMBAI: Havas has started 2026 on a strong note proving that even in uncertain times, its converged model continues to deliver. The global advertising and communications group reported net revenue of €638 million for the first quarter of 2026, representing organic growth of +2.5 per cent compared to the same period last year. This performance was driven particularly by a robust +7.4 per cent organic growth in the United States.
Total revenue for the quarter reached €667 million, with organic growth of +2.8 per cent. Recent acquisitions contributed a positive scope impact of +1.7 per cent, while foreign exchange movements had a negative impact of -5.8 per cent, mainly due to the US dollar and British pound.
Europe, which accounts for 50 per cent of net revenue, delivered +1.1 per cent organic growth, supported by a good performance in France. North America (36 per cent of net revenue) led the way with +7.4 per cent growth, thanks to strong contributions from both Havas Creative and Havas Media. APAC & Africa (8 per cent) saw a decline of -6.2 per cent, while Latin America (6 per cent) remained nearly stable at -0.6 per cent.
Havas chairman and CEO Yannick Bolloré said, “Havas has started 2026 on a solid footing, continuing its momentum and delivering organic growth in net revenue of +2.5 per cent. This performance, in line with our full-year 2026 guidance, was driven in particular by continued strength in the US.”
The group also continued its bolt-on acquisition strategy, acquiring majority stakes in four agencies during the quarter: Acento Public Affairs (Spain), Ctrl Digital (Sweden), Styleheads (Germany), and Eyesight (France).
Havas maintained its strong creative reputation, ranking as a top holding company in the WARC Creative 100 for the sixth consecutive year, with three agencies BETC, Havas Paris, and Havas India placing in the Top 50.
Looking ahead, Havas confirmed its 2026 guidance: organic net revenue growth between +2.0 per cent and +3.0 per cent, adjusted EBIT margin between 13.2 per cent and 13.5 per cent, and a dividend payout ratio of around 40 per cent. The group also reiterated its medium-term targets for 2028.
Despite ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, Havas enters the rest of the year with solid fundamentals and confidence in its ability to deliver sustainable, profitable growth.
In a challenging environment, Havas is proving that its integrated, client-centric model remains resilient delivering steady growth while continuing to invest in creativity and innovation. The first quarter results suggest the group is well-positioned to navigate the year ahead with confidence.
