IAA India Chapter hosts 10th edition of IAA Leadership Awards

The 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. 

Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra addressing the august audience 

Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra being felicitated (L-R: Anant Goenka, IAA Mancom Member and Executive Director, The Indian Express (P) Ltd, Dy CM, Nandini Dias, Chairperson IAA Leadership Awards, Avinash Pandey, President IAA India Chapter & Chief Executive officer, ABP Network) 

Nadir B Godrej, Jury Chairperson – IAA Leadership Awards & Chairman and Managing Director, Godrej Industries Ltd; Chairperson, Godrej Agrovet Ltd addressing the audience

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 for unlocking India’s potential in the healthcare sector, for revolutionising vaccine manufacturing, for his outstanding leadership during the covid-19 pandemic, for his commitment to social responsibility and contribution to public health, for elevating an Indian brand to Global recognition and for making a tremendous impact on society at large. 

Adar Poonawalla

Furthermore, upon receiving the IAA Business Leader of the Year Award, Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India, said, “I am truly humbled to receive the IAA Business Leader of the Year Award. It truly 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, 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 from 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 from 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 as the IAA Brand Endorsers of the Year in the male and female categories, respectively, for their ability to connect with audiences and effectively promote brands.

Ajay Devgn being felicitated (L-R: Neeraj Roy, Nandini Dias, Ajay Devgn, Avinash Pandey, President IAA India Chapter & Chief Executive officer, ABP Network)

Kiara Advani being felicitated (L-R: Neeraj Roy, IAA Mancom Member and Founder, Hungama Digital Media Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., Kiara Advani, Megha Tata, Immediate Past President IAA India Chapter & CEO, Cosmos-Maya)

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.

Dr Bhaskar Das 

The IAA & Walkers & Co – Keep Walking Award was given to Tarun Mehta, Ather Energy. IAA & Diageo both believe that walking together with communities while celebrating oneself has become an inevitable path to progress. this award celebrates those who have shown the courage to forge ahead, inspire others, and make a positive impact on the world. 

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.” 

Avinash Pandey, President, IAA India Chapter

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. 

Nandini Dias, Chairperson IAA Leadership Awards

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 all 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.”

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 ongoing success, fostering innovation in the marketing landscape. 

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