IAA Leadership Awards honours outstanding achievers

Mumbai – The International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter, a leading association for marketing, advertising, and media professionals, hosted the grand 10th edition of the prestigious IAA Leadership Awards on Wednesday, August 9, at the St. Regis Hotel in Mumbai. The Awards served as a platform to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of industry leaders.

This year’s ceremony witnessed the presence of over 400 distinguished guests, including senior marketing, advertising, and media professionals, who came together to honour the exceptional accomplishments of these deserving recipients.

The awards were presented across 15 industry categories, spanning automobiles, financial services, FMCG, E-commerce, Edtech, retail and consumer durables, acknowledging outstanding professionals’ diverse achievements and innovative contributions.

Notable among the winners was Adar Poonawalla, CEO, Serum Institute of India who was awarded the prestigious title of IAA Business Leader of the Year 2023. This recognition was bestowed upon him for his instrumental role in unleashing India’s capabilities within the healthcare domain. He was acclaimed for his groundbreaking advancements in vaccine production, exemplary guidance during the COVID-19 crisis, unwavering dedication to societal well-being, substantial contributions to public health, transformation of an Indian brand into a globally acknowledged entity, and his profound influence on broader society.

On being honoured, Adar Poonawala, said, “I am truly humbled to receive the IAA Business Leader of the Year Award. It vindicates the risk that my team and I took during the pandemic as it was a tough time for everyone and a time of great uncertainty. We could not have been able to do this without our counter staff and workers, health care workers, the Government of India, and State government. I have always believed that the Serum Institute has been a national asset to the country and during the pandemic this became more evident. I feel privileged and honoured that I can lead such an institute and serve the nation and humanity at large and will continue to do so.”

Rajdeepak Das, CEO & CCO, Leo Burnett South Asia and Chairperson, Creative Council, Publicis Groupe India was honoured with the IAA Creative Agency Leader of the Year award for his exceptional creativity and ground-breaking campaigns.

Ajay Gupte, CEO – South Asia from Wavemaker secured the distinguished title of IAA Media Agency Leader of the Year, recognizing his unparalleled expertise and strategic prowess in navigating the evolving media landscape. Atideb Sarkar, Chief Editor and Publisher of the ABP Group received the prestigious IAA Media Person of the Year award, acknowledging his outstanding contributions to the media industry. PV Chandran, Managing Editor of Mathrubhumi earned the accolade of IAA Editor of the Year, celebrating his exceptional editing skills and journalistic integrity. Navika Kumar, News Editor and Anchor from Times Network was honoured with the IAA TV Anchor of the Year award for her exceptional talent and charismatic presence.

Actor Ajay Devgan and Kiara Advani were crowned with the title of IAA Brand Endorsers of the Year in the male and female categories, respectively, for their ability to connect with audiences and effectively promote brands.

Furthermore, legendary media industry veteran Dr Bhaskar Das was inducted into the esteemed IAA Hall of Fame, recognizing his remarkable contributions and lasting impact on the media landscape.

Exuding sheer delight on this momentous occasion, Avinash Pandey, President, IAA India Chapter, said, “The IAA sees itself as the Global Compass for Marketing and Communications and these awards are one of the many initiatives that focus on furthering this. Through these awards, we not only recognize excellence and innovation but also inspire and motivate others to strive for greatness. By celebrating these remarkable achievements, we can foster a collective commitment to enhancing all industries. The 10th edition of this awards is a testament to the enduring spirit of innovation and resilience that defines our industry.”

Adding to it, Nandini Dias, Chairperson IAA Leadership Awards, conveyed her pride, stating, “The IAA Leadership Awards is an opportunity to recognize and respect the power of the human mind at work. To appreciate the criticality of decision-making. The wisdom of thought-leadership. The sheer magnetism that carries an entire team along. The choice between bravery and bravado. These awards are gallantry awards, bravery awards, intelligence awards, creative awards, sporting awards and social awards all rolled into one.”

“The winner company has excelled itself much beyond the criteria of market share, CAGR, quarter to quarter growth, advertising-to-sales ratio, etc., to now also credit ratings of the company in the stock market, brand health scores and the all-important Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) scores. So, for all the winner companies and their leaders, this is a bow from the marketing, advertising, and media world. I am proud to say the IAA Leadership Awards has been a significant marker of time through what has been a tumultuous decade to say the least,” added Dias.

The 10th IAA Leadership Awards celebrated visionary industry leaders, inspiring meaningful change and setting new benchmarks. This event’s remarkable achievements are a catalyst for the ongoing success, fostering innovation in the marketing landscape.

The Celebration Partner for the event was Diageo while the Tata Group was the Associate Partner. Both Times Network & Titan Company Limited were the Supporting Partners for the event.