MUMBAI: Havas Sports & Entertainment, the sports & sponsorship vertical of Havas Media Group India, has appointed Arun Kumar Rao as senior vice president. He will be based in Gurgaon and will report to R Venkatasubramanian, president (investments) & head of Havas Sports.
Earlier this year, Havas Media Group India relaunched the Havas Sports & Entertainment vertical, which offers clients opportunities by providing bespoke sports solutions with access to media and sponsorship. The team aims to provide strategic & innovative media solutions to sponsors on asset identification, allocation and maximising returns from media investments as well as developing sports and entertainment-based IPs, managing sporting talent, and producing & partnering on exclusive events.
Havas Media Group India CEO Mohit Joshi said, "Sports is a major driving force for the media & marketing industry, and we want to lead this space by assisting media rights holders in optimising their properties, creating more winning partnerships with leading & emerging brands, and co-creating unique engagement opportunities for brands by offering integrated media solutions that include digital, on-ground, and on-air experiences, which will help maximise returns and connect meaningfully with audiences. I look forward to Venkat and the team scaling up Havas Sports & Entertainment to newer heights, and welcome Arun to the Havas Family."
Havas Media Group India president (investments) & head – Havas Sports R. Venkatasubramanian added, "With the resurgence of Havas Sports & Entertainment and a slew of major & emerging sporting events in India, we are witnessing a multi-fold increase in sports marketing and brand sponsorships. Arun's vast experience will add a new dimension to the vertical and accelerate our growth plans."
“I am thrilled to be joining the Havas Media Group India team and to have the opportunity to expand Havas Sports & Entertainment's expertise in sports marketing and sponsorships. I am excited to work with meaningful brands from diverse industries, collaborate with leading and emerging sporting events, drive innovation, and make a meaningful difference. I'm looking forward to a fantastic inning with Havas.” said Arun Rao.
With over 20 years of diverse work experience, Rao comes with a vast experience in sports marketing & sponsorships, media ad sales & marketing, strategic marketing, DTH & digital sales, business development, and digital content development & acquisition. He has worked as an independent consultant, helping brands, start-ups, and sports clubs in setting up marketing & sales strategy, and revenue generation through sponsorships.
Before this, Rao has worked with Indian Super League (ISL) teams - Odisha FC & Delhi Dynamos FC, Dish TV, leading broadcast and print media networks - Discovery Networks, The Walt Disney, 9XM, Manorama TV, Fashion TV India (FTV) and The Time of India Group. Apart from this, Rao has also worked with leading advertising agencies like TBWA India, Rediffusion and Percept Advertising and managed brands like Bharti Airtel, Electrolux - Kelvinator, Birla Yamaha, and NTPC.
