afaqs! Marketers’ Excellence Conference and Awards 2026 returns with a sharper focus on growth, AI, and effectiveness
Marketing has entered one of its most consequential phases yet.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping workflows. Consumer attention is increasingly fragmented. Commerce and content are converging. And marketers are being asked to do more than build visibility. They are expected to drive growth, influence business outcomes, and remain culturally relevant in a rapidly changing environment.
Against this backdrop, the afaqs! Marketers’ Excellence Conference and Awards 2026 returns on June 18 at The Westin, Goregaon, Mumbai, bringing together industry leaders, growth architects, creative thinkers, and brand builders for a day focused on one central question: what does marketing excellence look like today?
Supported by Nians as Presenting Partner, SocioClout as Gold Partner, Karukrit as Brand Experience Partner, and CloudPlay XP as Co-Partner the event reflects the growing intersection of technology, creativity, experience design, and marketing effectiveness that increasingly defines the industry.
The conference explores the ideas, technologies, and strategic shifts redefining modern marketing, while the awards celebrate campaigns and brands that have translated those ideas into measurable impact.
Beyond campaigns, beyond conversations
The marketing playbook is changing.
Campaign-led thinking is increasingly giving way to always-on systems. AI is becoming embedded across organisations. Consumers move seamlessly between platforms, communities, creators, and commerce environments.
The conference has been designed around these realities.
Discussions throughout the day will examine the future of the CMO role, the evolving relationship between AI and creativity, the growth story behind ChatGPT in India, changing consumer expectations, and marketing’s expanding role in driving business performance.
Other sessions will explore commerce media, brand-building in a fragmented attention economy, trust and credibility, and the ongoing debate around whether creativity remains a sustainable competitive advantage.
Taken together, the agenda reflects a broader industry shift. Marketing is becoming more accountable, more technology-driven, and more deeply integrated with business strategy than ever before.
Learning from the people driving change
The conference speaker line-up brings together leaders from consumer goods, technology, aviation, financial services, retail, real estate, education, and emerging digital businesses.
Among the speakers are Anupam Katheriya, CEO, Cholayil Private Limited; Ayesha Huda, CMO, Mars Petcare; Janaki Patel, AGM marketing, Havmor Ice Cream; Keyur Shah, managing partner, Apsara Ice Cream; Moneka Khurana, country head & board member, MMA India; Mou Chakravorty, director, marketing communications, Deloitte; Naarayan T V, CMO, Akasa Air; Neelima Burra, SVP, chief strategy and marketing officer, business head – omnichannel retail and international business, Luminous Power Technologies; Nikhil Sharma, CMO, JBCN Education; Pranay Rao, VP marketing, CPD, Sebamed; Promita Saha, vice president, Karukrit; Rajat Srivastava, head of marketing; Rajesh Patel, marketing head, Seiko Watches; Rakhi Sharma, vice president, Jovees; Rohit Dogra, CEO, Matches and Agarbatti Division, ITC; Sandeep Tanwani, CMO, Pidilite; Sarina Menezes, senior vice president, Oberoi Realty; Sheeladitya Mohanty, head of marketing – India, OpenAI; Shruti Kedia, co-founder & head of marketing, Nasher Miles; Sonal Dabral, film director and creative consultant & founder, Tribha; Sonam Pradhan, head – media & digital marketing (South Asia), Kellanova; Subhankar Sengupta, CMO and head alternate channels, IndiaFirst Life; Tushar Malhotra, director – sales & marketing, Bisleri International; Vikas Nair, vice president & head of marketing and communications, Century Real Estate; Zoher Kapuswala, CMO, Ferrero India.
Their collective experience spans category creation, digital transformation, brand-building, consumer engagement, growth strategy, and organisational leadership.
Celebrating work that delivers impact
Alongside the conference, the sixth edition of the afaqs! Marketers Excellence Awards will honour campaigns that have delivered tangible business outcomes while building meaningful consumer connections.
The awards were originally inspired by the extraordinary communication created during the pandemic. Over the years, they have evolved into a benchmark for marketing effectiveness, recognising work that balances creativity with results.
The 2026 edition features 12 super categories and 91 sub-categories spanning ambient media, brand activation, brand video, content, customer experience, design, digital, influencer marketing, multimedia, print, social media, and sector awards.
The competition also recognises exceptional performance through its flagship honours, Agency of the Year and Brand of the Year.
In an environment where marketing journeys rarely follow a straight line, the awards celebrate work that successfully navigates complexity and creates lasting impact.
A day built for marketers
The afaqs! Marketers’ Excellence Conference and Awards 2026 is more than a gathering of industry professionals.
It is a chance to hear from leaders shaping the future, learn from real-world case studies, connect with peers across sectors, and celebrate work that is moving the industry forward.
Because marketing is no longer just about being seen.
It is about staying relevant, creating value, and delivering impact.
