AD Agencies
BEI Confluence CMD Tapas Gupta completes 50 years in advertising with zero breaks and zero burnout
MUMBAI: In a business that thrives on reinvention, Tapas Gupta has managed to stay ahead without hitting pause. BEI Confluence chairman & managing director has marked a remarkable milestone in May 2025, becoming the first leading advertising professional in India to complete 50 uninterrupted years in the industry—all in full-time roles, with no sabbaticals, no breaks, and no detours.
Gupta began his career in 1975 as Clarion McCann management trainee in Calcutta, then India’s second-largest agency. By the mid-1980s, he rose to become branch head of the Calcutta office. In 1986, he launched the TSA/TSME (Tara Sinha McCann Erickson) Kolkata office, before relocating to Delhi in 1991 to helm McCann-Erickson India’s flagship office while overseeing Kolkata. In 1996, he was elevated to PSL Universal McCann president & CEO, the agency’s second venture in India.
Two years later, in 1998, Gupta struck out on his own. He founded BEI Confluence with a breakaway team from PSL McCann and M-E, and has since built it into one of north India’s most prominent independent 360-degree advertising agencies. Known for its strong client base, robust infrastructure, and committed talent pool, the agency has seen sustained growth for over 27 years.
Today, Gupta continues to lead BEI Confluence as CMD with the same rigour he began with, while his son Abhishek Gupta steers day-to-day operations as joint MD.
As industry veterans go, Tapas Gupta may just be Indian advertising’s answer to endurance sport.
A marathoner in mindset, and a mentor by default.
AD Agencies
ABBY Awards 2026 names 3 jury chairs across digital, PR and publisher
Aditiya, Dharmaraj and Puri to lead key categories at Goafest 2026
MUMBAI: The Ad Club has announced the appointment of PG Aditiya, Deepshikha Dharmaraj and Pavita Puri as jury chairs for the Digital, PR and Publisher categories respectively at the ABBY Awards 2026, powered by The One Club and The One Show.
The awards are set to take place during Goafest 2026 from May 20 to 22 at Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon, bringing together some of the biggest names in advertising and marketing.
PG Aditiya, founder and CCO at Talented, will chair the Digital jury. A former chief creative officer at Dentsu Webchutney, he now leads Talented, an employee-owned independent agency known for its unconventional structure and award-winning work for brands such as Meta, Google, Britannia and Tanishq. The agency has also been recognised as a global ‘Best Place to Work’ by Campaign magazine for two consecutive years.
In the PR category, Deepshikha Dharmaraj, CEO at Burson Group India, brings over three decades of experience in public relations and integrated communications. She oversees multiple entities including Burson Genesis, GCI Health India and Hill & Knowlton India. Known for her strategic counsel and leadership, Dharmaraj has also served as president of industry bodies such as PRCAI and PAFI, and has been a jury member at global platforms including Cannes PR Lions and D&AD Awards.
Pavita Puri, chief brand and marketing officer at The Indian Express Group, will chair the Publisher category. With over 15 years of leadership experience, she has been instrumental in driving the group’s transition into a digital-first media powerhouse, overseeing brands such as The Indian Express, Financial Express, Loksatta and Jansatta. Her earlier stints in advertising include roles at Rediffusion and Lowe India, where she handled marquee clients across sectors.
The appointments reflect a strong mix of creative, communications and media expertise, underscoring the awards’ focus on recognising excellence across evolving industry segments.
As the industry gears up for Goafest, the ABBY Awards 2026 promise to spotlight standout work, with seasoned leaders at the helm of jury deliberations shaping the benchmark for creative excellence.
