Anupriya Acharya and Prasanth Kumar elected as President and Vice-President of AAAI respectively

• Anupriya Acharya, Publicis Groupe’s CEO, South Asia has been elected as the President of Advertising Agencies Association of India for the year 2020-21.
• Prasanth Kumar CEO, South Asia, GroupM was unanimously elected Vice-President of the Association.
• Ashish Bhasin will be the ex-officio member of the AAAI Executive Committee for 2020-21 as its immediate past President.

Ashish Bhasin, President of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has handed over charge of AAAI to Anupriya Acharya, Publicis Groupe’s CEO, South Asia, who was elected as the President of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) for the year 2020-21 at its Annual General Body Meeting.

Prasanth Kumar CEO, South Asia, GroupM was unanimously elected Vice-President of the Association.

Other elected members of the Executive Committee in alphabetical order are:

• Anand Bhadkamkar, Dentsu Aegis Network Marketing Solutions Pvt Ltd
• Kunal Lalani, Crayons Advertising Pvt Ltd
• Mohit Joshi, Havas Media India Pvt Ltd
• Pranav Premnarayen, Prem Associates Advertising & Marketing
• Rana Barua, Havas Worldwide India Pvt Ltd
• Vivek Srivastava, Innocean Worldwide Communications Pvt Ltd

Ashish Bhasin will be the ex-officio member of the AAAI Executive Committee for 2020-21 as its immediate past President.

On this occasion, Anupriya Acharya, President AAAI said, “It’s a tremendous honour and also an enormous responsibility to be elected as the President of such a prestigious organisation. I am acutely aware that our industry, like the rest of the world, has just witnessed the most unprecedented times and it’s a difficult time for most. The pandemic has only underscored the relevance of the collective thinking and the heightened role that AAAI can play. I will strive to do my best to further the interests of the advertising industry and take AAAI to greater heights as we emerge into the new normal. Many top advertising professionals have contributed very selflessly and relentlessly to the AAAI, both with and without executive positions. And that is what inspires me immensely as I take on this position. Many thanks to Ashish Bhasin for his leadership in the last two years as President – he has made great progress in making the association more inclusive, diverse and future-ready. Also thanks to all the Executive committee members and the secretariat for all the learning they have given me in the past many years”.

Outgoing President Ashish Bhasin stated, “I have had the privilege to lead AAAI for two years as its president, I wish to thank all my fellow executive committee members for their wholehearted cooperation and valuable support. I would also like to congratulate Anupriya Acharya on her election as President. Anupriya has been a key member of the Indian media and advertising industry for a long time. I’m sure she will play a stellar role in taking forward the Association and its work. I wish her the very best for this role.”

The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) is the apex national organisation of advertising agencies, formed in 1945, to promote their industry interests so that they continue to make an essential and ever-increasing contribution to the nation. The AAAI today is truly representative, with a large number of small, medium and large-sized agencies as its members, who together account for almost 80% of the advertising business placed in the country.