Havas India launches Shortcut Shobiz India to focus on luxury & lifestyle experiential

Havas India has launched Shortcut Shobiz India, a luxury and lifestyle experiential agency in partnership with Paris-based agency Shortcut and Havas India’s experiential agency Shobiz. The venture marks Shortcut’s entry into the Indian market following its expansion into Milan. It will focus on luxury and lifestyle experiences in India, a market estimated at between $10 billion and $12.1 billion, according to the 2025 State of Fashion report by McKinsey & Company and The Business of Fashion. Shortcut Shobiz India will be led by Farah Lauren Khan as Vice President. Based in Mumbai, Khan will report to Sameer Tobaccowala , CEO of Shobiz. Khan has more than a decade of experience in experiential marketing and brand strategy. Her previous work includes assignments involving brands such as Apple, Bvlgari, Cartier, Christian Louboutin, Dior, Estée Lauder, Ferrari, Gucci, Hermès, Jo Malone, Rolls-Royce, Rolex, St. Regis Hotels, Tod’s, Zara and W Hotels. The agency will develop experiences and events for luxury, lifestyle and related brands, bringing together Shortcut’s international operations with Shobiz’s production capabilities and presence in India. Commenting on the development, Christophe Pinguet , co-founder and co-president, Shortcut, said, “Shortcut Shobiz India marks a defining milestone in our entrepreneurial journey. Having celebrated 30 years of Shortcut in July 2026, this venture represents both the strength of our legacy and the beginning of an exciting new international chapter. Together with Shobiz and Havas India, we are bringing together French savoir-faire, artistic intelligence, operational excellence and India’s remarkable creative talent to design experiences that are locally meaningful and internationally inspiring. I sincerely thank Yannick Bolloré, Sameer Tobaccowala and Rana Barua for their confidence in this shared entrepreneurial ambition.” Lionel Laval , co-founder and co-president, Shortcut, added, “Shortcut Shobiz India is, first and foremost, a creative partnership built on trust, shared values and complementary expertise. From our first conversations with Rana, Sameer, Farah and the Shobiz teams, it was clear that we shared the same passion for creativity, craftsmanship and executional excellence. Beyond their professionalism, I have been deeply impressed by the generosity, curiosity and creative energy of the India team. By combining Shortcut’s artistic intelligence and finesse with Shobiz’s creative dynamism, production capabilities and deep local understanding, we have a unique opportunity to create a new generation of immersive experiences for luxury, beauty, fragrance and lifestyle brands in India.” Speaking on the agency's Indian market entry, Rana Barua , group CEO, Havas India, SEA & North Asia (Japan & South Korea), said, “India and France have long shared a strong commercial and cultural relationship; this partnership arrives at a particularly crucial moment when India's luxury and lifestyle market is growing at an unprecedented speed. As we keep growing, Shortcut Shobiz India (which is the 26th expertise added to the One Havas ecosystem in India) will not only add more power to our suite of expertise but also strengthen our integrated offerings. Of the 1000+ clients in Havas India’s portfolio, we already have a significant roster of luxury and lifestyle client partners. And there are many more that want to expand into the luxury category. Shortcut Shobiz India will help us further strengthen our client partnerships and unlock many new business conversations.” Sameer Tobaccowala , CEO, Shobiz, added, “I’ve spent much of my career watching India’s experiential industry evolve from delivering events to creating moments that shape how people connect with brands. Nowhere is that evolution and momentum more evident than in the luxury space, where audiences expect experiences that are thoughtful, immersive, and deeply authentic. What excited me about this partnership is that Shortcut and Shobiz share a core belief: true creative brilliance only happens when world-class design and flawless execution exist as one. By anchoring this agency at Shobiz’s offices across India, we’re blending Shortcut’s global conceptual heritage with our creative depth, scale, and understanding of the Indian consumer. Together as partners, we’re setting a new standard for what collaborative experiential marketing can achieve here.”