Havas Media Group India, the media expertise arm of Havas Group India, has appointed Sonali Bagal as Director – Marketing & Communications.
Reporting to Mohit Joshi, Chief Executive Officer, Havas Media Group India and Pritha Dasgupta, Chief Marketing Officer, Havas Group India, Sonali will head the marketing and communications function of all the specialised divisions under the wider Havas Media Group India umbrella, including Havas Media, Havas Sports and Entertainment, Havas Content, Havas Market, Havas Programmatic Hub, Analytics among others. She will be based out of Gurgaon.
This appointment comes at a time when Havas Media Group India has established itself as one of India’s most sought-after media agency networks, with a stellar roster of clients across sector and industries, like Tata Motors, Swiggy, Vivo, Dominos, Hyundai, Stashfin, Just Dial, Firefox, Dr Reddy’s, Ola Group, Valvoline, and Coinswitch, to name a few. Havas Media Group India has demonstrated steady growth numbers as evidenced by their consistent performance on R3 New Business League – Media Agency Rankings as a top 3 spot regular for the past 12 months. Furthermore, in the recent RECMA’s Qualitative Benchmark Report, Havas Media Group India has seen upward mobility in its rankings, from being classified as a ‘High’ profile agency in February 2022 to a ‘Dominant’ profile agency in October 2022, consolidating and solidifying its stature as one of the top 5 leading media groups in India.
With over 13 years of experience, Sonali has worked with marquee brands such as General Motors, Deloitte, KPMG, ISB Hyderabad, Pearson India, and Cambridge International Examination. Moving from her 7-year long tenure at Mediabrands India where she was part of the network’s PR and communications function. Sonali brings holistic knowledge and varied skills to her new role. Having worked across various sectors, namely, education, automobile, consulting, and lifestyle, Sonali’s expertise lies in driving marketing strategies for brands by optimising internal as well as external communications. As part of her role, Sonali will leverage her strengths in support of Havas Media Group India’s ethos of making a Meaningful Difference through Meaningful Media.
Talking about the new appointment, Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Group India, said, “Havas Media Group India has grown exponentially over the last couple of years, and we intend to keep our momentum going with aggressive plans in place to support our Meaningful Media journey. 2022 was a fantastic year for us. The new business growth, our innovative and future-forward media solutions has made us a ‘Dominant’ agency in RECMA. 2023 looks even more promising in terms of our ability to navigate new challenges and seize new opportunities. And having someone with Sonali’s track record join us as we take Havas Media Group India to the next level demonstrates how we are evolving to become even more future-ready, ensuring that our marketing strategies and growth plans work in tandem.”
Pritha Dasgupta, CMO, Havas Group India, said, “Havas Group India’s growth journey from 2019 has seen unprecedented momentum across all its constituent agencies and divisions. As the network continues to grow and diversify its portfolio of offerings, we have ensured that the people we bring into the fold share the vision and mission of the network. With her experience and varied knowledge of the advertising world, Sonali is a rising marketing and communications star. In her capable hands, I am sure that the legacy, conversations, and strategies that Havas Media Group India, and by proxy, Havas Group India, is building will become even more pronounced and value-led in the days to come.”
Talking about her new role, Sonali said, “The media landscape is dynamic and ever-changing, and I am thrilled to be joining Havas Media Group’s India operations as they make big waves both globally and locally. I’m excited to be working with a network that has such a distinct, innovative, and agile ecosystem and is constantly redefining what a Meaningful Media experience can be. As brands continue to evolve, adapt, and keep up with innovations across various disciplines, I look forward to both growing as a marketing and communications professional and making a positive and meaningful contribution to the network’s continued growth potential.”