AD Agencies
Infectious Advertising hires ex-filmmaker Siddharth Kumar as creative director
MUMBAI: Siddharth Kumar has returned to the ad world—this time with a few reels under his belt and a mission to shake up creative norms. Infectious Advertising has appointed him as its new creative director, adding a splash of film-school flair to its creative stable.
The Mumbai-based agency announced the appointment on 23 April 2025. Kumar, who briefly swapped ad scripts for screenplays, wrote, directed, and produced four short films that continue to play the global festival circuit.
But his roots run deep in the agency world. With over 15 years of experience across marquee firms like Ogilvy, McCann, Leo Burnett, VML, and Publicis, Kumar has helped craft campaigns for household names such as Coca-Cola, Unilever, Vodafone, SBI, Airtel, Nestlé, and Mastercard.
“My goal is to help build a culture where storytelling thrives. I believe my role is to push the envelope, stir things up, and encourage new kinds of madness,” said Kumar.
Infectious creative chairman & co-founder Ramanuj Shastry had high praise, “Sid has impressed me in the short time that I have known him. He is a solid writer and great human being. I wish him a great innings at Infectious.”
CCO Akshay Kapnadak echoed the sentiment, “Siddharth is passionate about storytelling, curious about people, enthusiastic about the business and has a great work ethic. I’m looking forward to see what we all can build together.”
With this move, Infectious seems keen to turn up the creative voltage, bringing together script sensibilities, ad world grit, and a fresh approach to narrative-led campaigns.
AD Agencies
ABBY Awards 2026 names Rajdeepak Das, Khazanchi, Ramaswamy jury chairs
Top creative leaders to steer judging across film and direct categories
MUMBAI: The Ad Club has announced the appointment of three of India’s most prominent creative leaders as jury chairs for the ABBY Awards 2026, powered by The One Club.
Rajdeepak Das, chief creative officer, South Asia, Publicis Groupe and chairman, South Asia, Leo Burnett, will chair the AV Film (TV) category. Ashish Khazanchi, managing partner at Enormous, will lead the AV Film (Digital and OTT) jury, while Anupama Ramaswamy, managing director and chief creative officer at Havas Creative India, takes charge of the Direct category.
The trio brings a mix of creative firepower and industry experience to the judging table. Das is known for blending creativity with technology to solve real-world problems, with landmark campaigns such as Whisper’s “Touch the Pickle” and “Missing Chapter” helping reshape conversations around menstrual health. His work has earned top honours at global platforms including Cannes Lions and The One Show.
Khazanchi, meanwhile, has built Enormous into one of India’s leading independent agencies. Best known for creating Tata Sky’s “Jingalala” campaign, he has played a key role in shaping brand narratives for both legacy companies and startups, picking up hundreds of awards along the way.
Ramaswamy’s appointment rounds off the leadership trio with a strong focus on culturally resonant creativity. Her campaign “Ink of Democracy” became one of the most awarded works globally in 2025, earning multiple honours across Cannes Lions, Clio and Spikes Asia. Over the years, she has built a reputation for work that not only wins awards but also shapes public discourse.
The appointments come as the ABBY Awards continue to sharpen their global positioning, with backing from The One Club adding international heft to the platform.
The awards will be held during Goafest 2026 from May 20 to 22 at Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon, bringing together the industry’s top creative minds for what promises to be a closely watched showcase of ideas.
With heavyweight jury chairs in place, the stage is set for a high-stakes celebration of creativity where craft, culture and commerce collide.
