Mudra forms a JV with Portland UK

After launching specialist units such as Water (brand strategy and design consultancy), Terra (integrated rural solutions) and Celsius (event solutions), Mudra has formed a joint venture for yet another specialist unit which deals in the retail space.

Mudra Group and UK’s Portland Design have come together to form a joint venture that targets the retail, leisure and travel sectors in India. The joint venture, called Portland Mudra, will start its operations from July 2009 from Mudra’s office in Mumbai. Mudra Max already has three offerings in the retail space, which includes Prime Consult (outdoor environment consulting), Prime Retail (retail and visual strategy) and Prime Wayfinding (navigation solutions).

Pratap Bose, chief operating officer, Mudra Group, tells afaqs! that a team of specialists will be staying in Mumbai for a period of six to nine months to train the team in Mumbai. “This will be done to ensure that the DNA of Portland remains intact as they have expertise in this sector,” he says.

Portland Mudra is already working on a portfolio of clients across the country, including four department store concepts for Shopper’s Stop in Hyderabad; the branding and retail for Hyderabad airports; and Café Coffee Day. Portland is in the business of designing brands and places. Portland is present in various countries globally, including Europe, West Asia and India.

For the record, Mudra has recently integrated all specialist units under the Mudra Max banner.