The Old Guard Gets Their Due: Why Havas India's Leadership Moves Signal Something Bigger

I've watched enough holding company musical chairs to know when something's actually happening versus when it's just PR fluff. Havas Media India's decision to elevate Ramsai Panchapakesan to President of Investments & Partnerships, Binu Thomas to Managing Partner of Investments & Buying, and Manish Sharma to President of Arena India. This isn't your typical "we're-making-moves" announcement.

Here's what caught my eye: Binu's been with Havas for nearly 20 years. Twenty years! In an industry where most planning directors barely last two years before jumping ship for a 30% bump, you've got someone who's actually stuck around long enough to understand the full media cycle. I remember when loyalty like that was standard - back in 2009, my media director at the time had been at the same shop for 15 years, and that depth of institutional knowledge saved our asses when programmatic was still this scary black box everyone was afraid to touch.

The timing tells the real story though. Ramsai only joined in July 2024, which means Havas poached serious talent recently and is already promoting them. That's not consolidation thinking - that's expansion mode. And with Arena India working with clients like Kia, Realme, Zupee, Dalmia Cement, Bumble, and Kajaria Tiles, you're looking at a diverse portfolio that screams "we're not afraid of economic headwinds."

I've been through enough downturns to recognize the patterns. 2008 taught me that agencies that promote from within during uncertain times are usually the ones positioning for growth, not battening down hatches. When Lehman collapsed, I watched shops like Mindshare double down on their senior talent while everyone else was laying off junior planners. Guess who came out stronger in 2010?

But here's my contrarian take: this move signals something bigger than just Indian market dynamics. The global holding companies are finally waking up to the fact that regional expertise actually matters more than centralized "best practices." I've sat through enough global strategy calls where some exec in London tries to explain programmatic RTB to markets that barely had reliable internet infrastructure. 

The focus on "Meaningful Media" isn't just buzzword bingo either. I've seen what happens when you prioritize reach over relevance - hello, Facebook's 2018 algorithm massacre that killed organic reach overnight. Smart agencies are realizing that sustainable growth comes from deep client relationships, not just efficient CPMs.

What really matters here is the investment function elevation. Media buying isn't what it was in 2015 when you could throw money at Facebook and watch the ROAS graphs go up and to the right. iOS 14.5 killed that party faster than a privacy lawyer at a retargeting conference. Now you need people who understand the nuances of first-party data activation and can navigate walled gardens without losing their minds.

The Arena India elevation is particularly smart. Content partnerships aren't just "nice-to-have" anymore - they're table stakes. I've watched too many brands get burned by influencer scandals to know that having a dedicated content operation with proper vetting processes is worth its weight in programmatic inventory.

My prediction? This is just the beginning. Havas is positioning for a market where relationships and regional expertise trump algorithmic optimization. The agencies that survive the next downturn won't be the ones with the flashiest tech stack - they'll be the ones with senior talent who can actually pick up the phone and solve problems.

And if you're a mid-level planner reading this, take notes. Twenty-year tenures are looking pretty attractive again.