Havas has announced the acquisition of PivotRoots, one of India and UAE’s leading digital marketing and communications agencies. The network’s latest acquisition comes at a time when Havas Media India is experiencing a period of impressive growth and represents Havas’ commitment to positioning the network for expansion in these key markets.
Launched in 2016 by co-founders Shibu Shivanandan, Hetal Khalsa, Dhruvi Joshi, and Yogesh Khanchandani, PivotRoots is one of the fastest-growing marketing and communications agencies, providing cutting-edge solutions to clients across a wide range of industries in India and the UAE. PivotRoots has worked with brands like Amazon Prime Video, Swiggy, Hindustan Unilever, Disney, Bisleri, Medlife, Urban Company, among others. Being a fully integrated agency, PivotRoots is a leading provider of solutions in brand and performance marketing, UI/UX, digital content creation, and marketing technology through its recently launched division PivotConsult.
The acquisition will allow Havas Media India to tap into PivotRoots’ deep understanding of the Indian and MENA markets and enhance its capabilities in the rapidly growing digital advertising space. By combining PivotRoots’ local expertise with the group’s global resources, PivotRoots will be able to deliver best-in-class digital marketing solutions at scale.
The addition of PivotRoots strengthens HMGI’s powerful roster of agencies and specialized divisions which includes media networks Havas Media and Arena Media; specialist brands Havas Market, Havas Programmatic Hub, Havas Analytics, Socialyse, and Havas Media Tribes; and the recently launched global offering, Havas Play. PivotRoots’ state-of-art digital capabilities, supplemented with Havas Media’s meaningful media experiences (Mx) approach will allow HMGI to offer a unique audience-first data-driven solution to the clients. This acquisition not only bolsters Havas’ position in the industry but also demonstrates the company’s commitment to staying ahead of the competition by investing in cutting-edge technologies and innovative strategies.
“We are thrilled to welcome PivotRoots to the Havas family,” said Yannick Bolloré, Chairman of Vivendi, and Chairman & CEO of Havas. “The acquisition is part of our broader strategy to expand our presence in lighthouse markets around the world. With a global network that spans over 100 countries, Havas is well-positioned to help clients reach audiences wherever they are.”
Bolloré elaborated, “We see tremendous potential in India, and we are committed to investing in actions and efforts that help us actualize and leverage this potential meaningfully. This acquisition will further strengthen not only Havas Media India’s and Havas India’s position in the country where PivotRoots primarily operates, which is one of the fastest-growing digital advertising markets in the world, but also add a specialized edge to Havas Media Network, and to Havas as a whole.”
Shibu Shivanandan, Founder and Managing Director, PivotRoots, said, “We are excited to be part of Havas Media India. We share a common vision for the future of advertising, and by combining our expertise and talent we can deliver better solutions, services, and results to our clients. We are proud of what we have achieved at PivotRoots in India and MENA so far, and we look forward to the next chapter in our journey.”
“I’m delighted to welcome Shibu and the PivotRoots team to the Havas Family”, said, Rana Barua, CEO, Havas India. He further added, “This acquisition comes at an extremely interesting time for Havas India, which has undergone a complete transformation in recent years and has seen unprecedented growth and success. The addition of PivotRoots and their capabilities, advanced analytics and technology, and a new perspective on creativity and innovation distinguishes Havas Media India in the industry in meeting the evolving needs of its clients and succeeding in an increasingly competitive and extremely dynamic market.
About Havas
Founded in 1835 in Paris, Havas is one of the world’s largest global communications networks, with more than 22,000 people in over 100 countries sharing one single mission: to make a meaningful difference to brands, businesses, and people. Havas has developed a fully integrated model through its 70+ Havas Villages around the world, covering all communication activities. The teams of the three business units, Havas Creative Network, Havas Media Network and Havas Health & You, work together with agility and in perfect synergy to offer tailor-made, innovative solutions to clients that support them in their positive transformation. Havas is committed to building a diverse culture where everybody feels they belong and can be themselves and thrive. Havas integrated into Vivendi, a global leader in media, entertainment, and communications, in December 2017. Further information about Havas is available at www.havas.com.
About PivotRoots
PivotRoots is a full-service, integrated digital marketing and MarTech agency with a 300-strong team of talented individuals across offices in India and UAE. The company offers services across industries and the digital ecosystem, including data and analytics, strategy and consulting, digital media planning and buying, UI/UX, social and content, SEO, and digital transformation. PivotRoots has served clients across verticals including Disney, Amazon Prime Video, Swiggy, Amazon miniTV, Bisleri, Hindustan Unilever, Study in India (EdCIL), Nuawoman, EC-Council, Parcos, Club Mahindra, RBL Bank LTIMindtree, MSD Pharma, Narayana Hospitals, ET Money, Snapdeal, Celevida Wellness (Dr. Reddy’s), Cashe, PaySense, LazyPay, among others. PivotRoots has won awards across prominent platforms, the most recent being Agency of the Year by ET Brand Equity Media Strategy Awards, Entrepreneurship of the Year by Campaign India and The ABBYS. Further information about PivotRoots is available at www.pivotroots.com
