Tarun Jha has been named Chief Executive Officer of Havas Creative India by Havas Group India, which includes agencies Havas Worldwide India (Mumbai/Gurgaon/Bangalore), Havas CX (Customer Experience), Conran Design Group Mumbai (Branding & Design), and Havas QED (Kolkata).

Tarun’s most recent position was as Head of Marketing at koda Auto India, where he worked for 15 years. He was in charge of the Marketing and Product Planning function for the Indian market, which included developing marketing and communication strategies.

Tarun’s appointment comes on the heels of a significant period of growth for Havas Group, with an outstanding list of new client wins and a compelling growth trajectory. He will report to Rana Barua, Group CEO, of Havas Group India. The network’s success can be attributed to its unique integrated ecosystem, which combines the strengths of its Creative, Media, and Health verticals, as evidenced by its recent Great Place To Work® certification.

Tarun has over 24 years of experience in brand building across several sectors, with a focus on customer-centricity and business profitability. He is one of India’s most dynamic and celebrated advertising-turned-marketing professionals.

Tarun began his career in advertising after earning his MBA and worked there for 5 years before making a lateral shift to marketing. His eventual move to Mahindra & Mahindra assisted him in discovering his true calling in automotive marketing. He joined koda India in 2008 and stayed for 15 years, including a three-year stint in Prague, Czech Republic.

Rana Barua, commenting on the appointment said, “Over the last 4 years, Havas Creative Group India has evolved from a one-client agency into an integrated network of 7 agencies, including Havas Worldwide India, Havas CX, Think Havas, Conran Design Group Mumbai, Shobiz Havas, Cake India, and Havas QED. Today, these agencies handle an enviable roster of marquee clients including Reckitt, Dabur, Tata, Citroën, P&G, Nestle, IKEA, and several others. Our momentum is unparalleled, as evidenced by the consistent #1 ranking on the creative agency list in R3 New Business League in 2022.

“As Havas Creative Group India gears up for a new phase of growth, it was imperative to have someone such as Tarun, with an insider’s perspective, helming the new direction the network takes, truly pushing the envelope of what Havas Creative India can achieve in terms of client-first approaches and meaningful, innovative business solutions,” Barua added.