e-commerce
AAAI forms Media Council with Kartik Sharma as chair
Council will focus on measurement, transparency, talent and emerging media technologies under AAAI’s 2026-27 agenda
MUMBAI: The media industry is getting a new adda for its biggest ideas. The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has formed a Media Council, chaired by Omnicom Media India chief executive Kartik Sharma, to bring agencies together on shared priorities and give them a stronger voice in shaping the sector’s future.
The initiative forms part of AAAI’s agenda for 2026-27, with a focus on strengthening specialist participation and bringing together perspectives from large media networks, independent agencies and regional businesses.
The council’s proposed agenda spans audience research and measurement, transparency and accountability, evolving media trading practices, talent development and the growing influence of technology on media planning and buying. It will also facilitate engagement between agencies, advertisers, media owners, research bodies and other industry stakeholders.
The move comes as changing audience behaviour, emerging platforms and shifting client expectations reshape how media is planned, bought and measured. The council aims to encourage knowledge-sharing and collaboration as agencies navigate these changes.
Sharma said the council would focus on building industry capabilities through knowledge partnerships, collaboration and practical guidance on emerging areas of media.
“We will focus on bringing world-class learning systems to India through local and global knowledge partnerships, creating a flagship annual platform for industry-wide collaboration and the exchange of ideas,” he said.
He added that the council would develop thought leadership and practical playbooks for emerging areas such as connected TV (CTV) and cross-screen measurement, where the industry continues to grapple with changing viewing habits and measurement requirements.
Sharma brings more than 30 years of experience across media strategy, communication planning, behavioural economics, analytics and technology. He serves on the AAAI Board and BARC’s Disciplinary Committee, and is a member of the Board of Governors of the Media Research Users Council India (MRUCI).
He has previously held key positions at TAM Media Research and the Indian Readership Survey. His accolades include the IAA Media Influencer of the Year 2026 and e4m Influencer of the Year 2025.
AAAI president for 2026-27 Dr Sandeep Goyal said the council should become a platform for debate, learning and the exchange of ideas across the industry.
“Let this media council be the industry’s adda and its university: where advertising’s best minds in media debate bold ideas, challenge old rules, and pass on hard-won wisdom to the next generation of storytellers and brand-shapers,” Goyal said.
