Published on: September 9, 2026
Mumbai, India; September 09, 2026 – Havas India has announced the launch of Shortcut Shobiz India, a new luxury and lifestyle experiential agency, created in partnership with Shortcut, a Paris-headquartered agency curating high-end luxury and lifestyle experiences, and Shobiz, Havas India’s leading experiential agency.
The launch marks the entry of Shortcut in India, one that comes on the heels of its recent expansion into Milan. It represents a strategic move to tap into India’s booming luxury market, valued approximately between $10 billion and $12.1 billion (Source: The McKinsey and Business of Fashion (BoF) State of Fashion Report, 2025).
Shortcut Shobiz India will be led by Farah Lauren Khan, an experiential marketing and brand strategy leader with over 15 years of experience in creating immersive brand experiences across luxury and lifestyle sectors. Over the course of her career, she has partnered with globally recognised brands including 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, among others. Based out of Mumbai, Farah will report to Sameer Tobaccowala, CEO, Shobiz, in her role as Vice President of Shortcut Shobiz India.
At the core of the launch is a renewed recognition of the strategic importance of physical experiences in creating meaningful brand connections. It also strengthens Havas’ global proposition of “Growth, Powered by Desire,” enhancing the network’s ability to deliver across the full value chain, from strategy and creativity to production and measurable execution.
Positioned around the philosophy of “Experiences Designed with Artistic Intelligence,” Shortcut Shobiz India brings together French savoir-faire, global creative excellence and Indian craftsmanship, to design and produce experiences and events for brandhouses, institutions and organisations.
Christophe Pinguet, Co-Founder & 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 & 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.”
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.”
