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AAAI sets up first Creative Council, appoints BBDO India’s Josy Paul to lead it
The new council will nurture emerging talent, promote regional creativity and raise industry standards
MUMBAI: Creativity is getting a seat at the top table of India’s advertising industry. The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has established its first Creative Council, appointing BBDO Group India chairman and group chief creative officer Josy Paul to lead the initiative.
Part of AAAI’s restructured agenda for 2026–27, the council aims to strengthen creative standards while opening up new avenues for collaboration, experimentation and mentorship.
It will bring together creative professionals from independent agencies, regional markets and emerging talent pools, creating opportunities for ideas to cross disciplines and generations. The council also plans to look beyond advertising, inviting artists, scientists, filmmakers, designers, entrepreneurs and thinkers to contribute fresh perspectives.
“The Creative Council is an opportunity to nurture talent, celebrate diversity and create an environment where new ideas can flourish,” said BBDO Group India chairman and group chief creative officer Josy Paul. He said the council would facilitate intergenerational conversations, experiments, debates, demonstrations, readings and film screenings.
Paul brings an extensive record of creative work to the role, with more than 25 Cannes Lions to his name, including a Grand Prix and multiple Gold awards. His portfolio includes Ariel’s ‘Share The Load’ campaign, which WARC ranked as the world’s most effective campaign for two consecutive years.
The initiative puts creativity at the centre of AAAI’s institutional framework, with a focus on developing talent and broadening the industry’s creative base.
“For the first time in our history, we are bringing creativity to the absolute forefront of our institutional framework,” said AAAI president Sandeep Goyal. He said the council, under Paul’s leadership, would mentor the next generation of talent and champion the diversity of India’s independent and regional agencies.
The council will be part of AAAI’s newly structured board for 2026–27, with its remit spanning talent development, cross-industry engagement and the exchange of ideas. Its bigger test will be turning those conversations into work that pushes boundaries. For an industry built on fresh thinking, AAAI is betting that a broader creative table can lead to bigger ideas.
