Havas Group acquires healthcare communications company Sorento
Havas Group is boosting its health business unit and expanding its capabilities in the Indian market with its acquisition of India-based health and wellness communications agency Sorento. Following the acquisition, Sorento will be rebranded as Havas Life Sorento and will be integrated in the Havas Health &You business unit.
Havas Health & You unites Havas Life, Health4Brands (H4B), Havas Lynx and Havas Life PR, all wholly owned health and communications networks.
Yannick Bolloré, Havas Group CEO, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Sorento to our group. The team will partner with Havas Health & You India to create a broader health-and-wellness offering in the region for our existing global clients and provide a new infusion of energy that will allow us to expand our APAC capabilities.”
Sorento’s current client base is a strong and complementary mix for Havas’ health-and-wellness activities, with such international clients as Abbott, Johnson & Johnson, MSD, along with local pharmaceutical companies including Alkem, Dr. Reddy’s, Finlinea Healthwits, Glenmark and Torrent. The agency is well regarded by clients and peers and is the only Indian healthcare agency to have won the prestigious Cannes Lion.
Donna Murphy, CEO, Havas Health & You, said in a statement: “The Sorento culture of innovative, best-in-class client service makes it an ideal fit for the Havas Health & You family. Its integrated approach to brand stewardship has resulted in long-term relationships with clients, which also aligns with our client-first philosophy.”
Sorento’s co-founders and managing partners, Susan Josi and Sangeeta Barde, will retain their roles and head the 70-person team. They will both report to Charles Houdoux, CEO of Havas Health & You APAC. The duo said in a statement that joining Havas opens up frontiers for the agency in India and beyond.
Barde and Josi said: “At Sorento we passionately believe that even complex healthcare brand problems can be solved with insightful and creative ideas.
“Our years of dedication and the commitment of many people who have been associated with Sorento have allowed us to forge strong partnerships with our clients and help build their brands in India. Joining hands with Havas will equip us to look beyond our current frontiers and make us an even more valued partner in India and beyond.”
Category: Features, Wellness and Complementary Therapies
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