Digital
Honour roll grows as adtech awards double down on digital excellence
MUMBAI: When the industry’s brightest innovations walk into a room, they deserve a spotlight and ad:tech HONOURS 2026 is rolling out one big enough to light up the entire marketing landscape.
After a breakthrough debut, the awards return next year with a sharper focus, a bigger canvas, and a bold ambition: to become the definitive scoreboard for technology-driven excellence in Indian marketing. Organised in partnership with the International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter, the 2026 edition aims to reward the most transformative uses of Martech, Adtech, data, platforms, and creative innovation reshaping how brands think, build, and perform.
And this time, they’re taking centre stage literally. Recognising the rising prestige of the awards, the ceremony will now kick off day one of ad:tech New Delhi, placing the celebration right at the heart of India’s most influential marketing and technology gathering.
If the debut edition set expectations, 2026 smashes the ceiling. The awards have expanded from 10 to 22 categories, a sweeping new framework reflecting a marketing ecosystem where boundaries blur and technology accelerates everything. The broadened slate covers:
● Martech & Adtech innovation
● Content ecosystems and commerce
● Platform ingenuity
● Creator-led excellence
● AI, data, and performance marketing breakthroughs
The intent is clear: scale the recognition to match the industry’s evolving complexity, rewarding brands, agencies, platforms, publishers, creators, and tech enablers that push the discipline forward.
“Expanding the awards from 10 to 22 categories reflects how rapidly new-age platforms, tools, and solutions are redefining modern marketing,” said ad:tech India country head Jaswant Singh. “HONOURS 2026 captures this evolution acknowledging innovation that drives real business impact.”
The first edition already laid down a solid foundation, attracting strong participation across the ecosystem. Winners in 2025 including The Trade Desk, ARM Worldwide, Publicis, Social Beat, Tyroo, Trackier and others showcased measurable impact, creative use of platforms, and technology-led results. Their performance shaped the expanded framework for 2026, raising the bar for what modern marketing excellence should look like.
For IAA, the collaboration continues to be anchored in a shared mission. “Our partnership with ad:tech reflects our commitment to elevating India’s marketing ecosystem,” said IAA India Chapter president Abhishek Karnani. “As we step into the second edition of HONOURS, we are proud to strengthen this platform that champions innovation, collaboration, and long-term industry growth.”
The awards are designed to reward more than creativity; they recognise true business impact, the kind that moves metrics, markets, and mindsets. The judging philosophy focuses on technology application, innovation, strategic clarity, and measurable effectiveness across the full value chain.
The ad:tech HONOURS 2026 ceremony will bring together CMOs, founders, creators, platform leaders, and tech innovators for a night dedicated to celebrating breakthrough work.
Key details:
● Nominations: Now open
● Honours Night: 18 March 2026
● Venue: Yashobhoomi Convention Centre (IICC Dwarka), New Delhi
● Drinks reception: From 6 pm
● Access: Every shortlisted entry gets two complimentary passes; ad:tech 2026 VIP Pass holders also gain entry
With the spotlight shifting to Day One, 22 categories ready to spotlight India’s best, and a platform designed for the future of marketing, HONOURS 2026 isn’t just returning, it’s levelling up.
For more information please visit www.iaaindiachapter.org
Digital
OpenAI’s Stargate lead Peter Hoeschele exits with two senior leaders
Trio behind compute push set to join new startup amid leadership reshuffle
SAN FRANCISCO: Peter Hoeschele, a key figure behind OpenAI’s early Stargate data centre initiative, has exited the company, according to a report by The Information.
The departure is part of a broader leadership shift, with two other senior executives, Shamez Hemani and Anuj Saharan, also set to leave in the coming days. All three are expected to join the same new startup, although details about the venture remain under wraps.
The trio played a central role in OpenAI’s Stargate effort, an initiative aimed at building large-scale data centre capacity in-house to reduce reliance on external infrastructure providers. Their exits mark a notable moment for the company’s compute strategy as it continues to scale rapidly.
OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement to The Information, “We’re grateful for the contributions Peter, Shamez, and Anuj have made to OpenAI and wish them the very best in what comes next.” The company also pointed to the recent appointment of Sachin Katti to lead its industrial compute organisation, signalling continuity in its infrastructure roadmap.
OpenAI has indicated that it does not plan to directly replace Hoeschele’s role, suggesting a possible restructuring of responsibilities within the team.
As competition intensifies in the race to build next-generation AI systems, leadership changes in core infrastructure teams are likely to draw close attention. For now, the spotlight shifts to what this departing trio builds next, and how OpenAI adapts as it scales its ambitions.
