Havas India And Shortcut Launch Shortcut Shobiz India For Luxury Experiences
Havas India has launched Shortcut Shobiz India, a luxury and lifestyle experiential agency created through a partnership between Paris-based experience specialist Shortcut and Shobiz, the experiential arm of Havas India.
- Venture: Shortcut Shobiz India, a luxury and lifestyle experiential agency
- Leadership: Farah Lauren Khan as vice president, based in Mumbai, reporting to Shobiz CEO Sameer Tobaccowala
- Positioning: "Experiences Designed with Artistic Intelligence"
- Significance: the 26th expertise added to the One Havas ecosystem in India
- Market size: India's luxury sector estimated at 10 billion to 12.1 billion dollars, per the 2025 State of Fashion report from McKinsey and the Business of Fashion
What Havas India Is Putting Together
Shortcut's expertise in luxury experiences and creative craftsmanship on one side, and Shobiz's production capability, local market understanding and scale on the other. The agency is aimed at luxury, beauty, fragrance and lifestyle brands in India, where demand for immersive and premium consumer experiences has been building. Its mandate covers the design and execution of experiences and events for brand houses, institutions and organisations.
The launch also marks Shortcut's entry into India, following a recent expansion into Milan. The proposition combines French savoir-faire and international creative expertise with Indian craftsmanship and production, which is a sensible division of labour: the creative reference points travel, the execution rarely does.
Who Is Running It
Farah Lauren Khan takes the helm as vice president, bringing more than 15 years in experiential marketing and brand strategy across luxury and lifestyle. Her client history reads as a map of the category: Apple, Bvlgari, Cartier, Christian Louboutin, Dior, Estee Lauder, Ferrari, Gucci, Hermes, Jo Malone, Rolls-Royce, Rolex, St. Regis Hotels, Tod's, Zara and W Hotels, among others.
Rana Barua, group chief executive of Havas India, SEA and North Asia, framed the timing around India-France commercial and cultural ties and the growth of the Indian luxury market. "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," he said, adding that the venture will help strengthen client partnerships and unlock new business conversations. The move fits a wider shift in experiential marketing, where luxury brands increasingly use physical experiences to build deeper consumer connections. More industry news.
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