Ad Club names jury chairs for Abby Awards 2026 categories

MUMBAI: When it comes to judging creativity, the jury just got a serious creative upgrade. The The Ad Club has appointed Shashanka Chaturvedi, Sumona Sen and Pallavi Chakravarti as Jury Chairs for the Video Craft, Broadcaster and Young Maverick Abby categories respectively at the Abby Awards 2026, powered by The One Club.

Chaturvedi, co-founder of Good Morning Films, brings a decorated career to the Video Craft category. A self-taught filmmaker, he has won close to 150 awards, including two Gold Lions at Cannes Lions, a first for an Indian director. His work spans brands such as Thums Up, Tata Safari and Cadbury, while his debut feature Do Patti emerged as Netflix India’s number one film in 2024 and entered the global Top 10 for non-English titles.

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. Senior vice president for network marketing strategy and growth Sumona Sen will chair the Broadcaster category. With over two decades of experience, she has focused on blending consumer insight with data-led strategy, while driving marketing transformation and integrating MarTech and AI-led solutions within the organisation.

Meanwhile, Fundamental founder and CCO Pallavi Chakravarti takes charge of the Young Maverick Abby category. Having gone independent in 2023, she has built a portfolio spanning brands like Whatsapp, Airtel and Adidas. Her work has earned recognition across major global platforms including D&AD, Cannes Lions and The One Show, alongside effectiveness honours such as the Effies.

The Abby Awards 2026 will be held during Goafest 2026 from May 20 to 22 at Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon, bringing together the industry’s top creative and marketing talent.

With a line-up that blends craft, strategy and cultural insight, this year’s jury chairs signal a clear brief: creativity will not just be judged, it will be challenged.