MAM
IAA awards recognise game-changers, says Viacom18’s Raj Nayak
MUMBAI: The International Advertising Association’s (IAA) India Chapter has announced the 5th edition of the IAA Leadership Awards presented by Colors.
The awards recognise excellence towards contribution in marketing, advertising and media sectors as well as celebrate outstanding achievements of individuals and teams. The magnificence of the 5th IAA Leadership Awards will be showcased through an ‘Invite Only’ event on 7 October, 2017, at the Trident Hotel in Mumbai.
Minister of commerce and industry Suresh Prabhu and Reliance Industries CMD Mukesh Ambani will be the chief guests. Government of Israel deputy minister of diplomacy – PM’s office Michael Oren will grace the event.
The IAA India Chapter will honour the achievements of various groups in the marketing, advertising and media communities, for their outstanding performance, innovation and creativity in delivering high impact initiatives for the fifth successive year. Twenty-three categories have been identified, based on an exhaustive list of quantitative and qualitative parameters at the IAA Leadership Awards 2017 edition.
IAA president Ramesh Narayan said, “A galaxy of leaders representing advertising, marketing and media will be honoured at the memorable event.”
Viacom18 COO Raj Nayak said: “We are delighted to partner with a renowned industry forum like IAA that recognises category game-changers.”
IAA – India chapter past president Neeraj Roy said: “There is a lot of effort that goes into bringing about objectivity and factual data into the judging process.”
Brands
Nodwin Gaming appoints Sonal Varma as global director of live events
Former Comic Con India VP to scale global gaming and pop culture experiences
MUMBAI: Nodwin Gaming has appointed Sonal Varma as global director of live events, bringing on board a seasoned architect of fan communities as the company accelerates its global push in gaming, esports and youth culture.
Varma steps into the role with more than 15 years of experience creating large-scale fan experiences and cultural platforms. She is best known for her long stint at Comic Con India, where she most recently served as vice president and helped transform the convention into one of the country’s most recognisable pop culture gatherings.
At Nodwin Gaming, Varma will lead the strategy, design and execution of the company’s global live event initiatives. Her mandate includes expanding flagship intellectual properties and developing new formats that bring gaming communities together across emerging markets.
Over the years, Varma has been closely associated with building and scaling community-led events such as Comic Con India, Geekly and the Indian Cosplay Championship. Her work has focused on turning niche fandoms into thriving cultural ecosystems by blending entertainment, creator culture and brand partnerships.
Her appointment comes at a time when Nodwin Gaming is expanding its international events footprint through properties such as DreamHack India, NH7 Weekender, Comic Con India and the Battlegrounds Mobile India Series. The company has also been growing its presence across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa through esports tournaments, gaming festivals and fan conventions.
Nodwin Gaming co-founder and managing director Akshat Rathee, said Varma’s experience in building fan-centric platforms would play a key role in the company’s next phase of growth.
“Sonal brings a deep understanding of how live experiences can bring communities together around gaming and pop culture. As we expand our global live events footprint, her experience will help us create experiences that feel authentic and meaningful for audiences across markets,” he said.
Varma said the scale of opportunity at Nodwin Gaming made the move particularly exciting.
“Joining Nodwin Gaming at this moment feels incredibly exciting because the canvas is so large. There are new audiences, new markets and new formats waiting to be explored. I’m looking forward to working with teams across the network to create live experiences that celebrate gaming culture while staying rooted in the communities that power it,” she said.
Over the past few years, Nodwin Gaming has built an ecosystem that stretches across competitive gaming, creator communities, music festivals and youth culture platforms. With Varma now leading global live events, the company is looking to further expand its flagship properties while experimenting with new formats that blend gaming, entertainment and fandom for audiences around the world.
