Meet Bharat Tavares
Bharat Tavares is a creative strategist and co-founder of Tandem Network, a creative agency focused on building intentional, high-impact work for brands across Africa. With a career spanning design, digital strategy, and leadership, his work sits at the intersection of creativity, business, and purpose.
At the core of his approach is a simple belief:
“Creativity is most powerful when it is connected to something bigger than itself.”
Where It All Began
Bharat’s journey into the creative world started early, long before job titles or career paths came into focus.
“I used to write, draw, and create my own comics.”
That instinct to build and tell stories became the foundation for everything that followed. While he didn’t have a fixed vision of the career ahead, one thing was always clear: it would be creative.
Over time, that curiosity evolved into web design, and later into a deeper exploration of how ideas move, connect, and influence people.
A Career Shaped by Evolution
Bharat’s career has been defined by continuous growth and expansion.
He began as a freelance web developer in the early 2000s, building hands-on experience in digital creation. In 2009, he joined WPP Scangroup at a time when their digital agency, Squad, was still growing.
Over the next decade, his role evolved from design into digital strategy, eventually leading strategy across major local and multinational brands.
But over time, a new intention emerged — to create work that felt more deliberate, more meaningful, and more aligned with impact.
In 2019, he co-founded Tandem Network with his business partner Svetlana, building a space where creativity and intention could exist side by side.
What Drives Bharat?
For Bharat, the work is sustained by both passion and mission.
Passion fuels curiosity — the desire to explore, create, and continuously refine ideas.
Mission gives that work direction.
“It connects creativity to something bigger than yourself.”
That balance, between enjoyment and meaning, is what keeps the work both energising and worthwhile. It also closely reflects the idea of Ikigai, doing what you love while creating value for others.
What’s Next?
Looking ahead, the focus is clear: growth in both capability and impact.
In the coming year, Bharat is focused on strengthening Tandem Network and elevating the quality of work they deliver.
Over the next five years, the ambition is to grow into one of Africa’s leading creative agencies, while continuing to evolve as a leader and explore new forms of creative expression.
Finding Balance
For Bharat, balance comes from returning to simplicity and play.
He unwinds by spending time with close friends and family, and through gaming — both playing and creating.
It’s a space where creativity feels unrestricted again, where problem-solving meets imagination, and where ideas can exist without pressure.
What Do You Enjoy About Ikigai?
For Bharat, Ikigai is a space that enables focus by removing friction.
“Everything you need is taken care of, so you can focus on your work.”
He’s especially drawn to the design of the space — thoughtful, calm, and intentionally built for collaboration and creativity.
It’s an environment that mirrors the kind of work he believes in: considered, human, and purpose-driven.
If you’d like to connect with Bharat or learn more about his work, join us for our upcoming Lunch & Learn or reach out via:
LinkedIn: Bharat Tavares Company: Tandem Network
Ikigai is a collective of wellness-focused, beautifully designed shared and private biophilic spaces to work, connect and unwind across Kenya’s bustling capital city – Nairobi – with five locations across the city in Lower Kabete, Lavington, Westlands – Peponi Road, Riverside, and Westlands – Brookside Drive. We provide our community and the wider Nairobi ecosystem with beautiful environments that nurture meaningful human interactions.
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