Mumbai: Prasanth Kumar, CEO – South Asia of GroupM Media (India) Pvt Ltd, has been re-elected as the President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) for the 2024-25 term during the Association’s Annual General Body Meeting held in Mumbai.
Rana Barua, Group CEO – Havas India, South East & North Asia (including Japan and South Korea), was unanimously elected as the Vice President of the Association.
In addition to Kumar and Barua, the following members were elected to the Board of AAAI, listed in alphabetical order:
– Sam Balsara – Madison Communications Pvt Ltd
– Tanya Goyal – Everest Brand Solutions Pvt Ltd
– Tapas Gupta – BEI Confluence Communication Ltd
– Vishandas Hardasani – Matrix Publicities and Media India Pvt Ltd
– Mohit Joshi – Havas Media India Pvt Ltd
– Santosh Kumar- Innocean Worldwide Communications Pvt Ltd
– Kunal Lalani – Crayons Advertising Pvt Ltd
– Rohan Mehta – Kinnect Pvt Ltd
– Chandramouli Muthu – Maitri Advertising Works Pvt Ltd, Cochin
– Vikram Sakhuja – Platinum Advertising Pvt Ltd
– Kalyan Sarkar – Standard Publicity Pvt Ltd
– K Srinivas – Sloka Advertising Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad
Immediate Past President Anupriya Acharya will serve as an ex-officio member of the AAAI Board for 2024-25.
In his acceptance remarks, Prasanth Kumar expressed his gratitude, stating, “I am deeply honored by the trust AAAI members have placed in me for another term as President of this distinguished institution. Our commitment to championing innovation, upholding the highest standards of planning and creativity, and building on the momentum we have achieved remains unwavering. With the exceptional team of AAAI members and the broader ecosystem, I am confident we will continue to shape the future of our industry to greater heights.”
Kumar, a veteran of GroupM with over 20 years in the advertising sector, has previously held roles at Pepsi, The Hindu, The Media Edge, and McCann Erickson. He served as Vice President of AAAI from 2020 to 2022.
Rana Barua, on his reappointment as Vice President, stated, “Being appointed Vice President of AAAI for the third time is both an honor and a testament to the trust the industry places in me. I look forward to continuing our efforts in driving innovation and excellence in advertising while supporting the growth of this dynamic industry.”
The AAAI plans to induct more experienced professionals onto the Board and fill additional positions to ensure a broad-based representation.
Founded in 1945, the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) is a not-for-profit, industry-led trade association that promotes the interests of advertising agencies in India. With a diverse membership that includes small, medium, and large agencies, AAAI represents nearly 80% of the country’s advertising business, contributing significantly to the nation’s economic landscape.
