Bengaluru: Havas CX has announced the elevation of Deepali Saini, CEO of Think Design, to the additional role of Global Chief Experience Design Officer. In her expanded mandate, Saini will join the Global CX Leadership Board and spearhead the network’s Experience Design (XD) practice worldwide.
Based out of the Havas integrated village in Bengaluru, Saini will continue to report to Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas India, South East Asia & North Asia, and to David Shulman, Global CEO, Havas CX.
As Global Chief Experience Design Officer, Saini will focus on unifying and scaling the XD practice across global markets with a sharp emphasis on design excellence, capability building, and business growth. Her priorities include expanding service offerings, fostering collaboration across teams, embedding design more deeply in client engagements, and championing ethical AI. She will also lead the buildout of the XD practice in Southeast Asia, with Singapore serving as a regional hub.
Rana Barua hailed the elevation as a proud moment for Indian talent making a global impact. He said, “Deepali’s vision and determination have been central to Think Design’s success – pioneering a bold business model, expanding to Singapore, and setting a benchmark as the first Havas India agency in the region. With her deep understanding of user behaviour and proven ability to drive creative and commercial growth, I’m confident she will unlock our next chapter of success.”
David Shulman, Global CEO, Havas CX, added, “Deepali’s promotion reflects the incredible impact she is making across our agency. Her ability to connect design thinking to business outcomes is shaping how Havas applies CX to help our clients win. Her expanded role will amplify her ability to bring people together, spark new ideas, and deliver exceptional work across our global network.”
On her new role, Deepali Saini said, “As the world becomes more digital, more complex, and yet more profoundly human, Experience Design has never been more critical to how brands connect, inspire, and endure. My vision is to create a unified Global XD practice at the heart of the Havas CX Network – one that not only builds on our collective strengths, but also pushes boundaries and shapes new possibilities for our clients and teams.”
Saini’s promotion signals Havas’s growing investment in Experience Design as a core pillar of customer experience and underscores India’s rising leadership role in shaping global creative and digital practices.
