Dr Sandeep Goyal elected AAAI president for 2026-27, Jaydeep R Gandhi vice-president

MUMBAI: The advertising industry has a new captain at the helm, with Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) electing Sandeep Goyal as its president for 2026-27.

Goyal, chairman and managing director of Rediffusion Brand Solutions, was elected at AAAI’s Annual General Body Meeting held in Mumbai. Jaydeep R Gandhi, founder of Another Idea, was elected vice-president.

Goyal succeeds immediate past president Srinivasan K. Swamy, who will continue as an ex-officio member of the AAAI Board for 2026-27.

The new AAAI Board members, listed alphabetically, are Sam Balsara, Priyanka Chatterjee, Tanya Goyal, Santosh Kumar, Kunal Lalani, Chandramouli Muthu, K Srinivas and Ajit Varghese.

Goyal brings around four decades of experience spanning advertising, media and corporate leadership to the role. He is chairman of both Rediffusion and Everest and has previously held senior positions at HTA, now VML, Trikaya Grey, DDB Mudra, Rediffusion Dentsu and Young & Rubicam.

His wider corporate experience includes serving as group CEO of Zee Telefilms and as India joint venture partner and chairman of Dentsu India & Middle East. He has also served as chairman of Snapchat’s India Advisory Board and spent three years with the Punjab government as principal secretary.

An MBA, PhD and DLitt, Goyal is also an author and columnist, with 10 books to his credit. His writings have appeared in publications including The Economic Times and Business Standard.

Taking charge of AAAI, Goyal said the association would focus on innovation, creativity, industry support and preparing the workforce for changes brought by new technology.

“I am deeply honoured by the trust AAAI members have reposed in me as President of this distinguished institution. My commitment to championing innovation, upholding the highest standards of creativity in advertising and building on the momentum past presidents have achieved remains unwavering,” Goyal said.

Goyal added that the association would seek to support the wider advertising and media ecosystem as the industry navigates technological disruption and looks for new business opportunities.

“With the exceptionally experienced and talented Board of the AAAI taking charge today I am confident we will take our industry to greater heights. This year, we will also focus on skilling our younger generation and will take up societal causes to demonstrate that real communication is for the betterment of the society,” he said.

Gandhi, meanwhile, brings long-standing experience with AAAI to the vice-president’s role. He has been associated with the association since 2008 and has served on its Board since 2014.

He has also played a key role in Goafest, serving first as co-chair and subsequently as chairman since 2019. Outside AAAI, Gandhi is a Board member of the IAA India Chapter and a trustee of the Advertising Council of India’s STACA Trust.

“Being re-appointed as Vice President of AAAI is an honour and a testament to the trust the industry places in me. I look forward to contributing my mite in driving innovation and excellence in advertising while supporting the growth of this dynamic industry,” Another Idea founder Jaydeep R Gandhi said.

The association is yet to announce its honorary secretary, honorary treasurer and other co-opted directors. These appointments will be made after the elected Board members meet to fill the vacant positions in accordance with AAAI’s articles of association.

Founded in 1945, AAAI is a not-for-profit, industry-led and industry-managed trade association representing advertising agencies in India. It said its membership spans small, medium and large agencies that collectively account for almost 80 per cent of advertising business placed in the country.

With Goyal and Gandhi now leading the association, AAAI’s agenda for 2026-27 is set to centre on innovation, talent development and helping agencies adapt to the rapidly changing technology and business landscape.