Havas Group, a multinational advertising and public relations company based in France, has acquired Indian experiential agency Shobiz Experiential Communications Pvt. Ltd.
This is the third acquisition by Havas in India this year, it said in a statement. It didn’t disclose the deal amount.
“With the acquisition of Shobiz we have delivered on our ambitious growth plan to triple our footprint in India,” Havas Group chairman and CEO Yannick Bolloré said.
Shobiz employs over 300 people across its five offices in India. Its CEO Sameer Tobaccowala will continue to oversee the company’s business along with Vishnu Mohan, who is the chairman and CEO of Havas Group India and South East Asia.
Shobiz chief operational officer Tejpal Singh Patpatia will lead the agency’s daily activities and will report to Havas Group India CEO Rana Barua.
Tobaccowala said the acquisition would help the two entities unlock growth opportunities for one another as well as increase customer trust and relationships.
Mumbai-based Shobiz is a multi-disciplinary communications agency and offers a fully integrated spectrum of conceptualising, commissioning and final reporting. Its services include strategic planning, communication and content design, creative, graphic and architectural design, audience acquisition, production and logistics.
Havas, which was originally founded in 1835 in Paris, employs more than 20,000 people in over 100 countries. It operates through three business units covering all communications activities, and says it has also adopted a fully integrated model in which several of its teams work together to meet a client’s needs.
In May this year, reports said that the group had acquired a majority stake in independent user experience consultancy and design studio Think Design. Then, in September, it acquired digital agency Langoor for an undisclosed sum of money. At the time, Bolloré said the acquisition was in line with its strategy to strengthen its digital skills portfolio in the country.
