40 Under 40 2024: Nishant Shekhar, Havas Media Network

Nishant Shekhar

Vice president, data analytics
Havas Media Network
India

Nishant Shekhar had clients such as Amazon, Ferrero, and Volkswagen to his portfolio while at Digitas and Omnicom. He then joined Havas Media Network India in 2020 as head of data and analytics and has since risen to the position of vice president, data analytics.

As a rising star at Havas, Shekhar elevated the India office’s presence across the agency’s global network by rebuilding the ‘effectiveness pillar’ of Havas’ global strategic framework, MX. He also reshaped proprietary tools for India, including Opportunity Engine, Smart Planner, and Fission, to address clients’ business challenges. 

His data-driven strategies played a crucial role in acquiring new clients such as Swiggy, VGuard, InDrive, Capri, and Muthoot Finance among others. Clients have described Shekhar as a team player, talented professional, and a good partner.

Shekhar has transcended his role, taking on a leadership position to represent India on the global stage while fostering a culture of collaboration that empowers teams across the organisation. A prime example is his pivotal role in deploying the global YouGov data partnership in India. He was instrumental in the initial stages of YouGov data ingestion into Converged—Havas’ proprietary global planning tool—for the Indian market and joined the core team that successfully rolled out and implemented Converged for clients.

Within the agency, Shekhar has played an active role in knowledge-sharing. He fosters a spirit of integration across different divisions within Havas Village through global training programmes.  Additionally, he collaborates closely with teams across various regions, from Singapore and Indonesia to Latin America, on critical data-driven projects, particularly during new business pitches.

Beyond the agency, Shekhar served as a guest lecturer at MBA institutions such as Mahindra Institute of Management, Myra School of Business, and SP Jain. He took centre stage at TIECON 2023 in Delhi, nurturing startups to make data-driven decisions, and at the Learning Curve Conference 2024 in Nepal, focusing on building brands through a data-driven approach. He has also collaborated with Unesco to educate underprivileged children.

Passionate about DE&I, Nishant leads a team with a 70% female workforce, championed by a woman leader, and advocates for a gender-neutral approach. He actively participates in the ‘Women Who Inspire’ committee and the ‘Havas EmpowHer’ incubator, dedicated to empowering women in leadership roles. He is also a member of ‘The Proud Collective,’ an LGBTQIA+ advocacy group, and is one of the founding members of the United Nations Unstereotype Alliance India Chapter.