Havas Life Mumbai and Shobiz, both part of the Havas India network, have announced a strategic partnership to create a first-of-its-kind integrated experiential offering tailored for healthcare and pharmaceutical brands in India. The collaboration merges medical communications expertise with large-scale experiential design and execution capabilities.
The partnership brings together two distinct competencies — Havas Life Mumbai’s grounding in health and scientific communications, and Shobiz’s strength in experiential design and on-ground delivery. Together, the agencies aim to provide end-to-end engagement solutions for healthcare professionals, patients and caregivers.
The joint offering is designed to bridge a long-standing gap in the healthcare marketing landscape — one that exists between agencies built on scientific rigour and those specialising in experiential engagement. The combined model focuses on delivering compliant, measurable and experience-led formats specifically for the healthcare and pharma sectors.
Technologically, the partnership plans to leverage virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality simulations and AI-powered tools, supported by data-driven platforms, to elevate brand engagement.
Charles Houdoux, Global Chief Client Officer at Havas Health and CEO APAC-LATAM, said the collaboration redefines how the industry connects with healthcare professionals. “By uniting scientific rigour and healthcare leadership with the transformative power of experience design, we are building a new paradigm where knowledge, emotion and experience converge to accelerate the understanding and adoption of innovation,” he said, adding that the partnership aims to drive better decisions, deeper trust and improved patient outcomes.
Rana Barua, Group CEO of Havas India, SEA and North Asia, described it as a union of medical intelligence and experiential innovation at scale. “This partnership enables us to move beyond traditional engagement and create truly differentiated experiences for the world of health and wellness. This is the future of experiential healthcare in India,” he said.
Dorelle Kulkarni, Managing Director of Havas Life Mumbai, said healthcare brands today require far more than communication. “Our partnership with Shobiz allows us to create transformative, insight-led engagements that simplify complex science, inspire action and build long-term trust,” she noted, adding that the collaboration sets a new standard for health experiences in India.
Sameer Tobaccowala, CEO of Shobiz, highlighted the significance of combining scientific credibility with immersive experiences. “By bringing together Shobiz’s legacy of large-scale, technology-driven experiential solutions with Havas Life Mumbai’s deep understanding of the healthcare ecosystem, we are positioned to offer clients integrated and compliant engagement platforms that deliver tangible business outcomes,” he said.
The partnership signals a broader shift in how healthcare and pharmaceutical brands are expected to communicate complex medical information — moving from traditional formats toward integrated, experience-driven models.
