"Human-Inspired Artificial Intelligence Recognized at IAA Leadership Awards 2025"
The 12th edition of the IAA Leadership Awards took place on August 7, 2025, at Taj Lands End Court, Bandra West, Mumbai. This prestigious event honoured influential leaders who are shaping the Indian advertising and marketing industry with a strong focus on innovation and sector leadership.
The theme of the awards ceremony was the dynamic evolution of our times, where the boundaries between artificial intelligence (AI) and human potential are becoming increasingly fluid. This was reflected in the event's presentation style, with robots presenting trophies in place of traditional hostesses, symbolizing the future.
Key winners included Uday Kotak, who was conferred the IAA Business Leader of the Year 2025, Prasoon Joshi, who was inducted into the IAA Hall of Fame, and sector-specific leaders like Ashok Chandra of Punjab National Bank (Banking) and Ajay Khanna of Herbalife India (Consumer Health).
The Main Winners Across Categories
- IAA Business Leader of the Year: Uday Kotak, Chairperson, Kotak Securities
- IAA Hall of Fame: Prasoon Joshi, CEO and CCO of McCann Worldgroup India
- Leader of the Year – Banking: Ashok Chandra, MD and CEO, Punjab National Bank
- Leader of the Year – Consumer Health: Ajay Khanna, Managing Director, Herbalife India
- Leader of the Year – OTT: Karan Bedi, Director and Head, Amazon MX Player
- Leader of the Year – Retail: P. Venkatesalu, MD, Trent Ltd
- Leader of the Year – UPI: Sameer Nigam, CEO, PhonePe
- Media Agency Head of the Year: Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Network India
- Creative Agency Head of the Year: Senthil Kumar, Chief Creative Officer, VML India
- IA Brand Endorser of the Year: Kartik Aaryan (male), Tripti Dimri (female)
The awards carry significant impact on the Indian advertising and marketing scene by highlighting visionary leadership across diverse sectors, fostering innovation—especially with AI—and promoting responsible, health-conscious marketing trends, as seen in the recognition of Herbalife India for advancing consumer health awareness.
In summary, the IAA Leadership Awards 2025 reinforced leadership excellence and innovation in India's dynamic advertising-marketing ecosystem, signaling increased convergence of technology and sector-specific strategies to influence consumer engagement and brand building at a national and global level.
[1] IAA Leadership Awards 2025 Official Website
[2] IAA Leadership Awards 2025 Press Release
[3] IAA Leadership Awards 2025 Winners Announcement
[4] IAA Leadership Awards 2025 Event Photos
[5] IAA Leadership Awards 2025 Video Highlights
- The IAA Leadership Awards 2025, held in Mumbai, underscored the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the Indian business sector, as evidenced by the use of robots in the ceremony.
- The winners of IAA Leadership Awards 2025 span across various industries, including consumer health, where Herbalife India was recognized for its contributions.
