India gets pride of place at 43rd IAA World Congress

The IAA Chapter Excellence Award is awarded to the IAA chapter judged to have made the best overall contribution to achieving the aims and objectives of the IAA over the previous two years. This year, four chapters competed - India, Austria, Lebanon and Serbia.

According to Heather Leembruggen, Chairman of IAA Awards 2014 Committee, “IAA India Chapter had stiff competition from three other countries, but the variety of events across India and the quality of each event, put IAA India Chapter on top to win this coveted recognition.”

The presentation of the 2014 IAA Chapter Excellence Award was made during the well attended 43rd IAA World Congress in Beijing on 10th May 2014.

On behalf of IAA, Faris Abouhamad,  Chairman & Worldwide President expressed his happiness and extended congratulations to the India Chapter and invited the Chapter President, Srinivasan Swamy, to receive the award.  Abouhamad praised the work the India Chapter had done in the past two years and said he was indeed pleased with the Chapter for making an outstanding contribution to the core values and mission of IAA - in particular, the providing of a forum for international industry debate, advocacy and professional development opportunities and an exceptionally healthy growth in memberships.  “The inventiveness shown by the India Chapter is commendable and will, I am sure, resonate to all other chapters so that we can hear about similar initiatives by IAA chapters in other countries” he said.

While accepting the award, amidst a thunderous applause, Swamy said that it was the cumulative result of the good work by all the Managing Committee members at IAA India.  He also thanked the IAA members in India for their continuous support and involvement in IAA initiatives.

Commenting on the Award, Pradeep Guha said “I never expected this and I am humbled. I am thankful to the IAA Executive Committee and the Global Board for this honor. I do hope I can contribute more to further the cause of this respected body”.

nother important recognition went India’s way when Faris Abouhamad announced that Pheroza Bilimoria be given the Honorary Life Membership of IAA for all her contribution to the global body. Pheroza was till recently the Honorary Secretary of IAA Global and has been actively involved in IAA India Chapter since its inception. Billimoria could not attend the Congress in Beijing.  She was therefore given the certificate of IAA Honorary Life Membership at the IAA Young Turks Forum event in Mumbai on 13th June by IAA India President Srinivasan Swamy.  Said Ms Bilimoria “I am so deeply touched, honored and, most of all, humbled, by this gracious recognition. I  used to often sit in the audience at IAA World Congresses to admire and applaud those of my seniors who were the deserving recipients of this honour;  so it came to me as such an amazing delight to find that I have now joined their ranks!”

It was an Indian Summer at the 43rd IAA World Congress. In addition to the top three awards mentioned, the India born Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo Worldwide was the recipient of the most prestigious IAA Award for her contribution to global marketing and advertising.