MAM
ADFEST 2016 confirms 57 jurors from 18 cities
MUMBAI: ADFEST has announced that some of the world’s most celebrated creative professionals will be joining ADFEST 2016 as jurors including 57 professionals from 18 cities: Auckland, Bangkok, Beijing, Beirut, Colombo, Dubai, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Melbourne, Mumbai, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei and Tokyo.
Introducing the jury panel for Film & Radio Lotus:
• Ben Welsh, Creative Chairman, Asia, M&C Saatchi, Sydney (Jury President)
• Erick Rosa, Executive Creative Director, MullenLowe Singapore, Singapore
• Jennifer Hu, Chief Creative officer, Ogilvy & Mather Taiwan, Taipei
• Joo Yu Kyung, Creative Director, Innocean Worldwide, Seoul
• Malek Ghorayeb, Regional Executive Creative Director, Leo Burnett MENA, Beirut
• Santi Suwanvalaikorn, Founder & Executive Creative Director, Youngsanti, Bangkok
• Yoshimitsu Sawamoto, Executive Creative Director, Dentsu Inc., Tokyo
The jury panel for Design Lotus & Print Craft Lotus:
• Yoshihiro Yagi, Creative Director, Dentsu Inc., Tokyo (Jury President)
• Chutivat Cherdchoo, Executive Creative Director, Visionary Group, Bangkok
• Guy Venables, Founder, GUY>ENABLES, Sydney
• Ivan Hadywibowo, Chief Creative Officer, J. Walter Thompson, Jakarta
• Sanket Pathare, Senior Creative Director, McCann Erickson India, Mumbai
• Sing Lin, Creative Director & Partner, BeWater, Shanghai
• Trevor Kennedy, Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett Solutions GROUP, Colombo
The jury panel for Media Lotus, Branded Entertainment Lotus & Content Lotus:
• Josy Paul, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, BBDO India, Mumbai (Jury President)
• Darren Watson, Executive Creative Director – APAC, FITCH, Singapore
• Evan Teng, Managing Director, J. Walter Thompson Taiwan, Taipei
• Georg Warga, Creative Director, Filmmaker & Founder, GOODSTEIN, Shanghai
• Patrick Baron, Executive Creative Director, McCann Melbourne, Melbourne
• Sarnchatt Chansrakao, Managing Director, Dentsu Media Thailand, Bangkok
• Sokichi Nakazawa, Executive Manager of Data Driven Media Marketing Center, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners Inc., Tokyo
The jury panel for Promo Lotus and Effective Lotus:
• Chris Chiu, Singapore (Jury President)
• Anu Joseph, Executive Creative Director, Creativeland Asia Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai
• Dani Richa, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, BBDO MENA, Pakistan & Africa, Dubai
• Eric Cruz, Executive Creative Director, AKQA Shanghai, Shanghai
• Jeff Ma, Marketing Vice President, Greater China, The Woolmark Company, Shanghai
• Joyce Deng, Marketing Vice President, Yintai Yushen Business Management Co., Ltd., Beijing
• Tara Ford, Creative Director, WhybinTBWA Group, Melbourne
The jury panel for Integrated Lotus, INNOVA Lotus and Lotus Roots:
• Jeremy Craigen, Global Chief Creative Officer, Innocean Worldwide, Seoul ( Jury President)
• Ben Welsh, Creative Chairman, Asia, M&C Saatchi, Sydney
• Chee Keong (CK) Tan, Group Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
• Chris Chiu, Singapore
• Josy Paul, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, BBDO India, Mumbai
• Richard Yu, Chief Creative Officer & China Network Creative Consultant, ADK Taiwan, Taipei
• Sihabutr Xoomsai, Film Director, Triton Film, Bangkok
• Valerie Cheng, Head of Creative Shop, Southeast Asia, Facebook, Singapore
• Yoshihiro Yagi, Creative Director, Dentsu Inc., Tokyo
“Our jurors arrived in Thailand yesterday to begin debating this year’s entries. It is now their responsibility to choose the work that is driving our industry forward, we’d like to thank them for the hard work they will perform over the next few days,” says ADFEST president Jimmy Lam.
ADFEST 2016 will run from 16th to 19th March at the Royal Cliff Hotels Group in Pattaya, Thailand.
Brands
Radico Khaitan appoints Kunal Madan as chief marketing officer
Promotions signal focus on premium spirits, global expansion and homegrown leadership
UTTAR PRADESH: Radico Khaitan has elevated two long-serving insiders to its top leadership team, signalling a bold push into premium spirits and global markets. Kunal Madan steps in as chief marketing officer, while Sudhir Upadhyay takes charge as chief sales officer, both part of what managing director Abhishek Khaitan calls a consciously built next-generation leadership bench.
“At Radico Khaitan, our growth has always been powered by people,” Khaitan said. “True leadership is not imported, it is cultivated.” He added that empowering internal talent ensures continuity while keeping the company globally competitive and future-ready.
Madan, with over 20 years of experience across global sales and marketing, will drive brand architecture, marketing strategy, and the premiumisation agenda, including travel retail. Upadhyay, who has 25 years in the industry and was most recently national sales head, will oversee distribution expansion and execution across markets.
The leadership reshuffle comes amid Radico’s intensified focus on premium spirits, a segment driving higher margins and international growth. Last year, Ajay Kakkar was brought on to head the Premium On-Trade vertical, targeting modern and institutional channels to boost presence in high-growth segments.
Meanwhile, Amar Sinha stepped down as chief operating officer after contributing across multiple growth phases. Khaitan acknowledged Sinha’s role in supporting the company’s trajectory, while Sinha described his tenure as “an absolute privilege,” crediting Khaitan’s leadership for shaping the company’s strategic direction.
With a homegrown leadership bench and a clear premium agenda, Radico Khaitan is set to accelerate its global expansion while doubling down on brand elevation and market impact.
