Havas Media Network India names Tabassum Modi as CCO and Head of Havas Play India

Havas Media Network India has announced the appointment of Tabassum Modi as Chief Content Officer and Head of Havas Play India, the network’s specialised division focused on entertainment, content, sports and social solutions.

Based in Mumbai, Modi will report directly to Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Network India, and will oversee the strategic direction and operations of all four business verticals within Havas Play India - Content, Entertainment, Sports and Social. She will also work closely with leadership teams across the Havas Media Network India ecosystem to drive integrated growth initiatives.

As part of the leadership structure, Uday Mohan will continue in his role as Chief Operating Officer of Havas Media India, leading the core media business.

Under Modi’s leadership, the Content and Entertainment practice will continue to be steered by Prachi Narayan, Managing Partner, Havas Play. The Sports division will remain under the guidance of Uditvanu Das, AVP, while Kapil Nair, Senior Vice President – Head of Social, Digital Content & Strategy at Pivotroots (A Havas Company), will continue to drive the Social vertical. Growth initiatives will be led by Shruti Rajkumar, AVP – Partnerships, and Debojit Banerjee, Business Manager – Sales, will head the sales function, supported by an expanding regional team aimed at accelerating business growth across markets.

The revamped leadership framework is designed to strengthen Havas Play India’s capabilities in delivering culture-led brand experiences and expanding its influence across key sectors.

Commenting on the appointment, Mohit Joshi said, “Havas Play is at a particularly exciting inflection point as we continue to expand our footprint across sports, entertainment, culture, and content through new partnerships, capabilities, and experiences. Guided by our new business vision – ‘Growth, Powered by Desire’, Tabassum’s unparalleled experience in content strategy and P&L management will be instrumental in strengthening our expertise further. Her proven ability to scale businesses across the entertainment and digital ecosystem will accelerate our ambition to craft desirability for brands through culture-led, high-impact experiences. With the introduction of this new, future-ready leadership structure, we’re building a strong, integrated team that positions Havas Play for its next phase of accelerated growth and innovation. Tabassum’s vision aligns perfectly with where Havas Play is headed and the kind of standout solutions we aim to deliver for our clients. I thank Uday for laying a strong, growth-ready foundation during the interim period that has set Havas Play up for this next chapter of growth.”

Sharing her thoughts on the new role, Tabassum Modi added, “I’m thrilled to join Havas Play India and contribute to a team known for its creative prowess, innovative IPs, and strategic depth. Havas Play’s position at the intersection of sport, entertainment, content, community and culture offers exactly the kind of platform needed to push the boundaries of truly engaging brand experiences. For me, what is particularly exciting is the integrated Havas Village model that brings together all expertise seamlessly to foster collaboration and create integrated business solutions with real impact. The opportunity to harness this collective ambition to drive growth is incredibly exciting, and I look forward to working with the talented team at Havas Play India, to create work that is both effective and enduring for our clients."

Modi brings more than 20 years of experience in developing and scaling content-driven businesses spanning media, entertainment, education and digital ecosystems. She joins Havas Media Network India from Omnicom Media Group, where she played a pivotal role in managing large-scale business portfolios, creating intellectual property-led revenue streams and forging strategic brand alliances.

Over the course of her career, she has led initiatives across OTT platforms, branded content solutions and institutional offerings, leveraging content and audience engagement to deliver sustained commercial growth.