AD Agencies
Goafest 2025 unveils power-packed speaker line-up
MUMBAI: Get ready to be dazzled – Goafest 2025 is back, and it’s pulling out all the stops. The 18th edition of South Asia’s largest creative festival has unveiled a star-studded line-up of speakers, featuring the sharpest creative and marketing minds from India and beyond. With the theme ‘Ignite ____’, this year’s festival is set to spark change, fuel collaborations, and unlock new growth avenues.
The speaker roster reads like a who’s who of the industry – Rishad Tobaccowala, Youri Guerassimov (Marcel), Prasoon Joshi, Amarjit Singh Batra (Spotify), Geetika Mehta (Nivea), Vikram Mehra (Saregama), Karan Bedi (Amazon MX Player), P.G. Aditiya (Talented), Tejas Apte (HUL), Ankit Desai (Marico), Shubhranshu Singh (Tata Motors), Rajeev Jain (DS Group), Ajay Kakar (Adani Group), Arjun Choudhary (Swiggy), Sanket Prakash Tulangekar (MMT), Pragya Bijalwan (Voltas), Kanika Anand (Airtel), Aruna Daryanani (Amazon MX Player), Darshana Shah (Aditya Birla Capital), Satya Raghavan (Google), Ajit Verghese (JioStar), Bobby Pawar, Sonal Dabral, Rathi Gangappa (Starcom), Rashmi Sehgal (Zenith), Lulu Raghwan (Landor), Rajdeepak Das (Publicis), Deepak Dhar (Banijay), Yash Chopra (Amazon MX Player), Biprorshee Das (WARC), Sujeet Kulkarni (Andersen), Karthi Marshan, Nisha Singhania (Infectious), Rubeena Singh, Shekhar Narayanaswami (Times Innovative), Sandeep Bommireddy (Adonmo) and Promita Saha (Karukrit).
Masterclass sessions at Goafest 2025 will feature a diverse set of industry leaders, including Nick Eagleton (D&AD), Senthil Kumar (VML), Vara Prasad (ITC), Krishnendu Dutta (Ipsos), Jayesh Moorjani (Google), Jayant Rajan (Meta), Gowthaman Ragothaman, Shahad Anand (Media Kart), Amogh Dusad, Anoop Menon (Meta), Debapriya Dutt (Earthday.org) and Karuna Singh (Earthday.org)
But that’s just the start. Bollywood bigwigs Kareena Kapoor Khan, Suniel Shetty, Jaideep Ahlawat, Vijay Varma, and cricket legend Gautam Gambhir will bring star power to the festival. And for those looking to party, Mika Singh’s live performance is set to bring the house down.
This year’s Goafest introduces the Goafest Village, a multi-stage experience featuring Advertising Plays, Advertising Rocks, and GoaFresh. The event will run from May 21 to 23 at Taj Cidade de Goa Heritage and Horizon, Goa, co-hosted by the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and the Advertising Club (TAC).
Publicis grouple south Asia CEO and immediate past president of AAAI Anupriya Acharya said, “This year, we’ve designed the festival in a manner that delivers conversations that matter. Every session has been thoughtfully curated to offer value, be it through fresh perspectives, actionable insights, or future-facing ideas. In an industry that is adapting to the fast-evolving pace, we are excited to present yet another power-packed edition of Goafest, further strengthening the platform’s position as one that encourages learning, meaningful exchange, and forward-thinking dialogue.”
Rohit Ohri, creative mentor for Goafest 2025, added, “Goafest has always stood for creativity that breaks boundaries. We’re spotlighting voices that inspire change. This year’s line-up is designed to ignite new possibilities. It’s about creativity that breaks boundaries.”
The festival promises to be a whirlwind of insights, entertainment, and networking – a must-attend for anyone in the world of creativity and marketing.
AD Agencies
Goafest 2026 set for 20–22 May in Goa
South Asia’s marquee advertising festival returns with ABBY Awards powered by One Show and promises bigger conversations on creativity and innovation
GOA: The advertising industry’s annual pilgrimage is locked in. The 19th edition of Goafest will take place in Goa from 20 to 22 May 2026, bringing together the biggest names in advertising, media and marketing for three days of ideas, networking and celebration.
Announced jointly by the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club (TAC), the festival will once again host the ABBY Awards powered by One Show 2026 — widely regarded as the region’s most coveted creative honours — recognising outstanding work across advertising and media.
Launched in 2006, Goafest has evolved into the industry’s marquee gathering, drawing more than 2,000 professionals each year. Beyond the awards, the event has become a forum for big debates, future-facing ideas and the occasional industry soul-searching.
Srinivasan K Swamy, president of the Advertising Agencies Association of India, said the festival remains a crucible for industry thought and collaboration. “Goafest has always been a melting pot of ideas, creativity and camaraderie. We aim to spark new conversations, fresh perspectives and fuel the future of advertising and marketing. It is an occasion for the industry to come together, celebrate excellence and engage in meaningful conversations about the future of our craft.”
Dheeraj Sinha, president of The Advertising Club, underlined the legacy of the ABBY Awards, now in their 57th year. “Goafest has always been synonymous with creativity, collaboration and industry excellence. The ABBY Awards powered by One Club continue to push boundaries and set new creative benchmarks year after year. In its 57th year, the awards continue to raise the bar, and this year’s edition will be even more inspiring, bringing together the brightest minds in the industry.”
For organisers, the festival has grown beyond a calendar event. Jaideep Gandhi, vice president of AAAI and chairman of the Goafest 2026 organising committee and founder of Another Idea, said the property has become a legacy for the industry. “In its 19th year, Goafest is no longer just an event — it is a legacy we are privileged to carry forward. It is a unifying force that brings together the various industry associations across advertising and marketing under one roof. I am deeply grateful to the stalwarts who envisioned this remarkable property, and it is heartening that some of them continue to be actively involved in its journey.”
The organisers promise that the upcoming edition will dial things up a notch. Mohit Joshi, co-chair of the Goafest 2026 organising committee and chief executive officer of Havas Media India, said the festival is gearing up for a bigger, more immersive format. “Over the past 18 editions, Goafest has evolved into a premier platform that celebrates creativity, innovation and the dynamic transformation of our industry. This year Goafest will be more impactful than ever. It will introduce new formats, immersive engagements and high-calibre discussions that have never been done before.”
“With a larger scale, an inspiring line-up of speakers and a focus on cutting-edge ideas,” Joshi added, “Goafest 2026 is set to redefine the way our industry comes together to learn, collaborate and celebrate.”
Co-hosted by the Advertising Agencies Association of India and The Advertising Club, the festival continues to position itself as South Asia’s premier advertising gathering — where ideas collide, creativity gets crowned and the industry takes a long, hard look at where it is headed next.
