The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has brought India’s leading media agency networks into one formal room. Its newly constituted Media Council met for the first time in Mumbai, with senior leaders from WPP Media, Omnicom Media, Publicis Media, Havas Media and Madison World joining to set shared priorities for the sector.
Who is on the council
Kartik Sharma of Omnicom Media chairs the group. Other members include Monaz Todywalla and Anisha Iyer from Omnicom Media; Amin Lakhani and Navin Khemka from WPP Media; Niti Kumar and Jai Lala from Publicis Media; Uday Mohan and Shibu Shivanandan from Havas Media; Mayank Bhatnagar from Madison World; Navin Kathuria from R K Swamy; and Rohan Nair from Network Advertising.
AAAI has positioned the council as part of its 2026–27 agenda to deepen engagement and give specialist media agencies a common platform.
Three priorities for the first year
- Talent and capability development: explore bringing global learning systems and knowledge partnerships to India for skilled media professionals.
- Industry collaboration: build an annual platform for knowledge exchange across the media ecosystem.
- Thought leadership: develop industry insights and practical playbooks on emerging areas of advertising and media.
What happens next
The council plans to meet regularly and has formed three working groups on Knowledge Sharing, Events and Thought Leadership. Each group will take forward specific initiatives and turn them into actionable programmes.
“The challenges and opportunities before our business increasingly cut across individual agencies, making collaboration essential.”
That line from chair Kartik Sharma captures the intent: shared priorities should become practical initiatives rather than talking points.
Why marketers should care
Media agencies sit between brands, media owners and research bodies, so their coordination on talent and knowledge can shape the advice clients receive. AAAI President Dr Sandeep Goyal also stressed that small and medium-sized agencies should be represented in the deliberations, not just the large networks. That wider lens matters for advertisers working with independent and regional shops.
For Indian marketing and media professionals, the council is a signal that agency leadership is trying to solve structural issues—talent depth, industry know-how and practical tools—collectively rather than only inside individual holding companies.
Source: MediaNews4U
