The IAA India Chapter hosted the 11th edition of the IAA Leadership Awards on August 6 in Mumbai. The event celebrated the achievements of leaders in the industry and brought together top professionals across businesses; information, communication and entertainment fraternity. 

The awards ceremony honoured contributions across 15 categories, including automobiles, financial services, FMCG, e-commerce, edtech, retail, and consumer durables, highlighting diverse accomplishments and innovative work.

Nadir B Godrej, Jury Chairperson – IAA Leadership Awards & Chairman and Managing Director, Godrej Industries Ltd; Chairperson, Godrej Agrovet Ltd addressed the audience at the event. His speech was impactful and inspiring, reminding everyone to think creatively, even when life throws its hardest knocks.

Notable among the winners was the media industry veteran, Padma Shri Piyush Pandey,  who was inducted into the IAA Hall of Fame, for being the flag bearer of creativity in Indian advertising over several decades, for his contribution to building memorable brands, for putting Indian advertising on the world stage with his haul of international awards and accolades and for bringing respect to the industry with the many meaningful and effective public service campaigns he created.

 Hephzibah Pathak, Ogilvy India was honoured with the IAA Creative Agency Head of the Year award for her creativity, strategic brilliance, innovative thinking, and ability to turn bold ideas into impactful results.

Navin Khemka, EssenceMediacom secured the title of IAA Media Agency Head of the Year, for his leadership, data-driven insights, and ability to adapt to ever-changing consumer behaviour and having elevated the industry’s standards and set new benchmarks for success. 

Srinivasan K Swamy was honoured with the IAA Force For Good award for his acts for societal good. Srinivasan Swamy after winning the IAA Force for good, quoted his father, reflecting on the belief that there’s always something meaningful to give back to society, a value deeply imbibed in his family. He also concluded with a hopeful message, expressing the wish that we continue to have the energy and resources to do even more good for the community.

Additionally, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson – HCL Technologies who was awarded the title of IAA Business Leader of the Year 2024 for her visionary leadership in shaping the future of technology at HCL Technologies, for spearheading initiatives that have driven innovation and digital transformation on a global scale, for her commitment to corporate social responsibility, making a lasting impact on communities, for her work in advancing education and empowering the next generation, for fostering a culture of inclusivity and diversity.

Furthermore, upon receiving the IAA Business Leader of the Year Award, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson – HCL Technologies, said, “This recognition is incredibly humbling. I owe this success to the exceptional leadership team and management at HCL. I am fortunate to stand on the shoulders of giants who have paved the way for me.”

Moving further, Anand Narasimhan, News18 was honoured with the IAA TV Anchor of the Year award while Ravi Krishnan, Mint was honoured with the IAA Editor of the Year.

Actors Vicky Kaushal and Ananya Panday were crowned as the IAA Brand Endorsers of the Year in the male and female categories.

Avinash Pandey, President, IAA India Chapter, said, “The IAA Leadership Awards celebrate excellence in marketing and salute all those marketers who have excelled in the year that was.It’s also an evening to celebrate some very distinguished people in our industry and induct one exceptional person into the IAA Hall of Fame. IAA has always felt that advertising begins with the advertiser who owns the brand, invests in it and gives the all-important brief to Agencies. What happens after that sustains our entire industry. And that’s why these awards are so important to all of us. We have a wonderful jury headed by Mr Nadir Godrej, and Chairperson Nandini Dias has spared no effort to put together this wonderful event”.

Adding to it, Nandini Dias, Chairperson IAA Leadership Awards, stated “We are now living in a world where change must be instant. And as we look at our workplaces, at our younger generation, at the turbulent pockets of our economies, at the ebb and flow of corporate and business dynamics, it is evident that the greatest leadership skill out there, is not to simply cling on to this roller coaster and hang in there, but to pivot, evolve and stay ahead of every twist and turn.

The IAA Leadership Awards is a platform to appreciate and respect precisely that. Leadership… of all colours, all shapes and all sizes. In all its volatile, ever changing forms. Because the truth is this. Leadership is not a designation, it’s an act. It’s a not a noun, it’s a verb… a very active verb. 

The integrity and purity of the IAA leadership awards are underlined by the fact that they cannot be entered by any individual or organization. Performances are identified and studied through an exhaustive… scan and search process… of over 2000 companies across 15 categories. And today, as we wade into this tidal wave of change that awaits us, I am proud to say the IAA Leadership Awards has been and will be a significant marker of time… through a generation that will change the way we all live our lives from now on.” 

Additionally, the 11th IAA Leadership Awards celebrated industry leaders, inspiring meaningful change.