Uday Kotak, Prasoon Joshi honoured at IAA Leadership Awards 2025 in Mumbai

The India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) hosted the 12th edition of its prestigious Leadership Awards at the Taj Lands End, Mumbai, celebrating leaders who have shaped India’s business, marketing, and creative landscapes.

The evening’s top honour, IAA Business Leader of the Year 2025, went to Uday Kotak, recognised for his visionary leadership and lasting contributions to India’s corporate and financial sectors. Prasoon Joshi was inducted into the IAA Hall of Fame for his decades-long influence in advertising and creative industries.

Nandini Dias, Chairperson of the IAA Leadership Awards, described the event as more than a recognition of national excellence, saying it honoured leaders “destined to leave a mark on the global stage.” The selection process covered over 2,000 companies across 14 categories, with a jury led by Prabha Narasimhan of Colgate-Palmolive India ensuring rigorous, pre-set evaluation standards.

Reflecting the year’s AI theme, robots replaced traditional hostesses in presenting trophies. Over 300 senior figures from marketing, advertising, media, and business attended.

Other major winners included:

• Kartik Aaryan and Tripti Dimri – IAA Brand Endorsers of the Year (Male and Female)
• Senthil Kumar, VML – Creative Agency Head of the Year
• Mohit Joshi, Havas Media – Media Agency Head of the Year
• Kevin Vaz, JioStar – Media Person of the Year
• Ramesh Narayan – ‘Force for Good’ Award

Sector-specific leadership honours were awarded to:

• Nalinikanth Gollagunta (Mahindra & Mahindra) – Auto Passenger Vehicles (EV + UV)
• Yogesh Mathur (Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India) – Auto (Two Wheelers + EV)
• Jayen Mehta (Amul) – FMCG (Food)
• Pradeep Bakshi (Voltas) – Consumer Durables
• Karan Bedi (Amazon MX Player) – OTT
• Ajay Khanna (Herbalife India) – Consumer Health

IAA India Chapter President Abhishek Karnani emphasised sustainability and future readiness, announcing carbon offsetting for the event and initiatives on skilling and AI.

The IAA India Chapter, one of the most active globally, is known for marquee events including the Olive Crown Awards, IndIAA Awards, and Voice of Change forums.