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Havas Worldwide India bolsters strategy team with key appointments
Mumbai: Havas Worldwide India, the creative arm of Havas India, has further strengthened its strategy and account planning teams across its Mumbai and Gurgaon offices with two key appointments. Mohini Varma has joined as executive vice president & planning head – North, and Jasravee Kaur Chandra has been appointed as senior vice president of Havas Worldwide India. Both will report to Havas Worldwide India chief strategy officer Anirban Mozumdar and will be based out of Gurgaon and Mumbai, respectively.
Commenting on the appointments, Mozumdar said, “It is a very exciting time for Havas Worldwide India as we make even bigger strides in our growth journey. I’m beyond thrilled to welcome such impressive strategic thinkers with proven track-records as Mohini and Jasravee to our team. Mohini’s insights are the investment we need for our key clients to rise to the challenges of the new-age consumer and propel us in the right direction in our endeavour of providing integrated solutions. In Jasravee, we find the right blend of experience and thought leadership, which will be instrumental in nurturing and building on our strategic ability from a consumer, data, and integration perspective.”
A journalist-turned-advertising-professional, Varma also dabbled in art curation before finding her footing firmly in the adland. Over her career, she has furthered strategy and brand communications at leading advertising agencies like Leo Burnett, JWT, Mindshare, DDB Mudra, and FCB India. She has worked on marquee brands across a wide range of industries and sectors such as Google, YouTube, Uber, Pernod Ricard, Domino’s, Mother Dairy, and GSK, among others. As the executive vice president & planning head – North at Havas Worldwide India, Varma’s primary mandate will be to leverage her strategy skills and simultaneously win new businesses and further strengthen client relationships in the North and East markets.
Varma said, “In an incredibly VUCA world and at a time when brand trust is at an all-time low, Havas’ model of building brands that create actual and meaningful difference in everyday lives couldn’t be more relevant. Along with that, while all agencies promise integration, Havas’ village model is already an up and running a seamlessly integrated system that offers clients, tech-first 360-degree solutions, all under one roof. I couldn’t be more excited to start my journey with Havas and make a meaningful difference to our brands and businesses.”
Chandra is not new to the Havas family. She had an enriching stint with the health communications specialist agency Havas Life Sorento as a brand strategy consultant and senior vice president of strategic planning. In her new role at Havas Worldwide India as the senior vice president, she will focus on expanding the breadth of creative portfolio in the West and South regions using a client-first approach, keeping talent and team building at the core. Chandra’s skills as a strategic brand planner and communications expert include integrated brand campaigns, repositioning & building brand architecture, digital-first branding, insights & strategy. Having worked at advertising agencies like Lowe Lintas, Leo Burnett, and JWT, her portfolio includes a diverse range of brands across sectors like Coca Cola, Dove, FedEx, Godrej, Lifebuoy, Boroplus, HBO, Lakme Salon, among others.
Chandra said, “Having worked with Havas on the consumer health businesses for more than a year, I had witnessed first-hand the commitment and conviction of Havas India towards ensuring an integrated offering. Consumers demand seamlessness experiences across the consumer journey and channels and the village ecosystem is the perfect model to make this a reality. I have always been passionate about brands making a meaningful difference to consumers and Havas, with its proprietary framework, Meaningful Brands, is walking the talk. I’m very excited about entering the Havas global village and look forward to making a meaningful difference to all stakeholders.”
These latest appointments follow the recent additions of Srishti Jain Khandelwal as assistant vice president, and Anuraag Srivastava as vice president – strategic planning, bolstering Havas Worldwide India’s strategy function which has played a pivotal role in creating meaningful and innovative business solutions for its clients.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
