MAM
AAAI announces ‘Young creative talent contest’
MUMBAI: The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has for the fifth consecutive year announced the young creative talent contest renewing their endeavour of nurturing and providing an opportunity for international exposure to advertising professionals.
AAAI through this contest will select the official Indian team which will then take part in the Young Creative Talent Contest at Cannes.
The AAAI had noticed that in the past, young creative professionals seemed to falter when it came to converting their ‘print’ idea to an ‘Internet execution.
To overcome this, AAAI in association with The Times Group have decided to send a three- person team instead of the earlier two-person team to take part in the Young Creative Contest at Cannes which would now have specialists in art and copy as well as web-design.
This initiative is being advertised by the Times Group who are the official festival representatives of Cannes in India and have also consented to bear all the expenses of the wining teams’ trip to Cannes.
The theme of this year’s contest is Tsunami Aid Relief.
The participants have to create an ad on the Tsunami Aid Relief
(25 cm height x 16 cm width) in English, along with an online version
(Internet banner of width 468 pixels, height 60 pixels) of the same. The contest is open to people presently employed in AAAI member agencies and INS accredited agencies only.
Brands
Pocket FM elevates Lalit Gangwar to COO to drive global growth
Founding member to lead operations, monetisation and expansion across markets
MUMBAI: Pocket FM has elevated Lalit Gangwar to chief operating officer, tasking the founding team member with leading global business operations as the company sharpens its international growth strategy.
In his new role, Gangwar will oversee end-to-end operations across markets, including growth, monetisation and execution for the company’s audio business. The appointment comes as Pocket FM looks to strengthen its operating foundation and build a more predictable, scalable global business.
Gangwar has been closely involved in shaping the company’s trajectory from its early days. He played a key role in building the growth and marketing playbook in India, helping the platform scale to over 150 million users within its first year and establish a strong foothold in the audio storytelling category.
He later led Pocket FM’s expansion into the United States, where he set up teams, defined market strategy and drove scale, contributing significantly to the company’s international ambitions.
Pocket FM co-founder and CEO Rohan Nayak said, “Lalit has been central to Pocket FM’s journey from the very beginning. He has built our growth engine and scaled our business across markets.” He added that the company’s focus on nurturing internal talent makes Gangwar a natural choice to lead the next phase.
Gangwar said, “Pocket FM has always been driven by a simple belief that powerful stories can travel across borders and create meaningful impact.” He noted that the company will continue to focus on scaling markets, investing in AI-led storytelling and strengthening monetisation.
As COO, Gangwar is expected to bring greater operating discipline while building systems, talent and processes to support long-term growth.
With leadership continuity and a clear global focus, Pocket FM appears to be turning the page to its next chapter, one that aims to take its storytelling playbook well beyond home turf.
