Havas Media Network India appoints Tabassum Modi as chief content officer and head of Havas Play India

She joins from Omnicom Media Group.

Tabassum Modi joins Havas Media Network India as head of Havas Play India
Tabassum Modi with Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Network India

Havas Media Network India has announced the appointment of Tabassum Modi as the chief content officer and head of Havas Play India.  With over two decades of experience in building and scaling content-led businesses across media, entertainment, education, and digital platforms, Modi joins Havas Media Network India from Omnicom Media Group.

Over the years, she has consistently converted content and audiences into sustained commercial growth across OTT, branded content, and institutional products. Her career includes successfully founding and exiting an award-winning entertainment venture, launching global OTT platforms, and cultivating senior partnerships with Fortune 500 brands.

Based in Mumbai, she will oversee the four verticals under Havas Play India - Content, Entertainment, Sports and Social and will report to Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Network India.

Uday Mohan will continue to lead the core business as the Chief Operating Officer of Havas Media India.

Commenting on Modi’s appointment, Joshi said, "We’re thrilled to welcome Tabassum to the Havas Media Network India family. 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.”

A cohesive, multi-disciplinary structure

The new Havas Play team structure brings together a strong, integrated leadership across key verticals to drive scale and specialisation. 

At the helm, Modi will lead the overall vision and operations of the network. The Content and Entertainment pillar will continue to be anchored by Prachi Narayan, managing partner, Havas Play, driving content development and partnerships. The Sports vertical will be led by Uditvanu Das, AVP, supported by a team managing sponsorships and alliances. The Social practice will be driven by Kapil Nair, senior vice-president – head of social, digital content and strategy at Pivotroots. The Growth function will be led by Shruti Rajkumar, AVP – Partnerships, while Sales will be steered by Debojit Banerjee.

“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,"shared Modi. "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."