MAM
The Promax BDA awards (India) honored this year’s biggest creative teams in an event brimming with powerful and memorable moments at Taj Santacruz, Mumbai
MUMBAI: The 22nd Promax India BDA Awards held today at Taj Santacruz, Mumbai, captivated the audience with a formidable line-up of innovators and trailblazers who’ve redefined the creative space across industries and platforms. Leading the pack was Keynote Speaker Tim Horwood whose masterclass on the changing creative space in South Africa enthralled speakers and participants alike.
Speaking about the enormous success of the event, Rajika Mittra, Country Head, India, Hong Kong and Philippines, said, “we realize that storytelling is evolving and creativity has to be platform agnostic. That’s the reason, we brought in eminent personalities from across the globe who can share their dynamic experience across multiple platforms with this eclectic group. The idea was to take the game higher and challenge the Indian creative industry even more.”
Therefore, Promax BDA introduced three new categories-MOST OUTSTANDING MARKETING INITIATIVE (in house and out of house) and MOST OUTSTANDING DESIGN IN PROMOTION where the best of the best competes to win a Gold trophy. There is no second-best team here. You either win a Gold or nothing at all. This year, these prestigious awards were taken home by Star India, Zee and Star Movies.
Promax BDA, Conference Chair, Prasoon Joshi, 2018 looking at the award-winning categories said, “It’s amazing how year after year, TV networks and creative agencies are tapping into the Indian cultural kaleidoscope and coming up with ideas that are fresh, cutting-edge and shareworthy on all platforms. Promax is a unique forum that understands this changing dynamic and encourages them to push the envelope every year.”
There were many exciting firsts for the Promax BDA India awards this year. New categories that included Best VOD Service Promo, Best use of digital and Best direction. Further, a successful boot camp with three creative musketeers- Rob Middleton, Arnab Chaudhri and Pete Bishop – who super-charged the atmosphere with [V] machine, a hand- on creative drill that covered everything to create award-winning promos for a 360 audience.
This year, The Promax BDA Awards gave away 60 GOLDS, 57 SILVERS.
The eminent speakers present at the event were:
l Tim Horwood – Executive Creative Director, Mashoba Media Africa
l Glenn Urquhart – Creative, Swiss Army Knife
l Harry Ead – Associative Creative Director,DixonBaxi
l Bex Schwartz – Executive Creative director/Director, Cause+Effect
l Puja Vohra – Executive Vice President of Marketing and Digital, truTV
l Sheetal Sudhir – Creative Director/Co-Founder, Dynamite
l Stefan Mueller – Executive Creative Proudcer & Consultant, Flint Skallen
l Pete Bishop – Director, The Shop
l Rob Middleton – VP – Network Presentation Content Group, Astro
l Arnab Chaudhari – Director, Banabo
Brands
KPMG names Gary Wingrove as global chairman and CEO from October
Record Gmada bids signal rising demand as Rs 1,000 crore bet reshapes Tricity skyline
MUMBAI: KPMG has chosen continuity with a forward tilt. The firm has announced that Gary Wingrove will take over as global chairman and CEO of KPMG International, beginning a four year term from 1 October 2026. Currently serving as global chief operating officer, Wingrove steps into the top role after being nominated by the global board and elected by the global council.
A KPMG veteran with over 25 years at the firm, Wingrove has been closely involved in shaping its recent trajectory. As global COO, he has helped drive the firm’s Collective Strategy, focusing on operational integration, global investments and the steady expansion of the KPMG Delivery Network. He has also been at the forefront of KPMG’s digital push, including the rollout of AI enabled solutions across its global operations.
Before his global role, Wingrove served as CEO of KPMG Australia for nearly a decade, where he led a period of strong growth, almost doubling revenue, profitability and headcount while steering a cultural reset.
He succeeds Bill Thomas, who has led KPMG since 2017 and will work alongside Wingrove over the next six months to ensure a smooth transition.
Thomas leaves behind a firm that looks markedly different from when he took charge. Under his leadership, KPMG’s global revenues have risen by 55 per cent, and its workforce has expanded to more than 276,000 people. He also unified the network of member firms under the Collective Strategy, aligning priorities and strengthening governance.
His tenure saw heavy investment in technology and partnerships, with alliances spanning Microsoft, Google Cloud, SAP, Oracle and ServiceNow. These collaborations, along with platforms like KPMG Clara, have helped the firm scale its AI-led offerings and sharpen its competitive edge.
Beyond growth, Thomas also pushed improvements in audit quality and sustainability. Initiatives such as a multiyear global sustainability strategy and the Our Impact Plan have aimed to embed long term thinking into the firm’s operations and client services.
For Wingrove, the brief is clear but evolving. He has signalled a focus on agility, deep expertise and technology driven solutions as clients navigate an increasingly complex business landscape. He also emphasised KPMG’s identity as a people first organisation, supported by technology and unified through its global network.
The timing of the leadership change comes as KPMG continues to grow, reporting a 5.1 per cent rise in global revenue in FY25, with gains across tax and legal, audit and advisory services. Growth was recorded across all regions, despite a challenging macro environment.
As Wingrove prepares to take charge, the firm appears set on a familiar path with a sharper digital edge. Same playbook, perhaps, but with a renewed focus on speed, scale and smarter solutions.
