Global Launchpad for Creatives: Portfolio Night 2025 Sparks India’s Next Wave of Advertising Talent

Hosted by BBDO India, DDB Mudra Group, and TBWA\India

Mumbai : The One Club for Creativity, in collaboration with India’s leading creative powerhouses — BBDO India, DDB Mudra Group, and TBWA\India — successfully concluded the fourth edition of Portfolio Night 2025, reaffirming the event’s reputation as India’s premier career-launching platform for aspiring creatives.

Held on October 6 (virtually) and October 7 (in-person, Mumbai), Portfolio Night 2025 continued its mission of dismantling traditional hiring barriers, offering young talent a rare opportunity to engage directly with some of the country’s most influential creative leaders.

Record-Breaking Participation and Diverse Talent

The 2025 edition broke new ground, with registration slots filling up a full 72 hours before the deadline. More than 115 participants from across India brought portfolios that reflected a rich mix of disciplines — spanning design, planning, direction, content creation, and more — highlighting the evolving, interdisciplinary nature of today’s advertising landscape.

A total of 35 top-tier jurors volunteered their time to offer feedback, mentor young professionals, and identify promising future leaders of the industry.

The event was kicked off by Josy Paul, Chairperson & CCO, BBDO India, who inspired attendees with a message that encouraged authenticity and bold thinking, “We don’t need you to fit in — we need you to stand out. To make us uncomfortable. Challenge us. Shake us. Make us see the world through your eyes. We don’t need replicas of what’s been done. We need sparks. We need your light. We need your truth.”

Winners Head to Global Stage via Google-Sponsored All-Stars Program

Sumit Kumar was announced as the in-person winner from the Mumbai event, while Kareena Batija secured the top spot in the virtual pan-India edition. Both will represent India in the global Portfolio Night All-Stars program — an elite initiative bringing together winners from participating cities worldwide.

As part of the program, the All-Stars will collaborate to solve a live brief from global sponsor Google, undergo intensive workshops, and interact with international industry veterans. The program will culminate in an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City, where the winning global team will present their campaign during Creative Week 2026.

Industry Leaders Applaud the Initiative

Rahul Mathew, CCO, DDB Mudra Group, reiterated the importance of nurturing young talent, “Portfolio evening has been a long-standing partnership between Omnicom and One Club. And it’s a reflection of our belief that talent is the only real asset we have as an industry. We’re always grateful to all the CCOs who turn up every year to support this initiative. This is about us spotting, encouraging and giving the next generation of talent the opportunities or even belief that they deserve.”

Echoing the sentiment, Russell Barrett, Chief Creative Experience Officer, TBWA\India, emphasized the event’s unique relevance in a rapidly evolving creative economy, “It is always amazing to engage and interact with the next generation of creative talent. In an age of generative AI and mass-produced creativity, Portfolio Night is the best opportunity for us to interact with the raw and pure talent of these young creatives.”

Strengthening India’s Creative Pipeline

With its unmatched mix of access, mentorship, and opportunity, Portfolio Night continues to strengthen the pipeline for globally competitive talent in India’s advertising and design ecosystem. The event’s ability to bring together top creative minds and young hopefuls in a meaningful exchange sets it apart as a vital annual initiative in India’s creative calendar.

Jury Panel – Mumbai