AD Agencies
The Water Sustainability Score launched at COP28
Mumbai: COP28 launched The International Water Sustainability Coalition, a joint initiative of AquaKraft Group Ventures (www.aquakraft.net) Leo Burnett India (www.leoburnett.com) & UAE based Quazar Investments (www.quazarinvestment.com) to address the burgeoning need of water sustainability & water security in the world.
The International Water Sustainability Coalition is to develop a coalition of Water Conscious enterprises, governments & enablers committed to water stewardship & sustainability. The coalition, first of its kind in the region, will address the unique challenges and characteristics of water resources by getting countries to commit to international collaboration and cooperation to make equitable access and distribution of water for society a reality by 2050.The stakeholders joining the coalition will be incentivized for their sustainability by AquaKredits – Water Credits on AquaKraft’s AqVerium – World’s 1st Digital Water Bank and ranked with a Water Sustainability Score (WSS) developed jointly by Leo Burnett India and AqVerium. The coalition will also drive green & sustainable solutions for managing the world’s precious resource, WATER.
Speaking on the occasion, Publicis Groupe CCO South Asia & Leo Burnett chairman Rajdeepak Das said, “At Burnett we believe that creativity’s true power is to impact a billion. The looming water crisis demands immediate attention and by adopting the Water Sustainability Score – a first of its kind report card on how water positive a brand really is, can bring transparency and accountability in the indiscriminate use of water. The water sustainability score will help corporates to be more responsible and will give the consumers to choose the right product. When initiatives like the Water Sustainability Score are embraced It’s a win – win for both People & Planet. When more corporations and countries engage in these discussions, the greater the impact becomes because sometimes a small act goes a long way.”
“Leo Burnett operating in several other countries have joined the coalition with a commitment to influence and drive their customers to subscribe and practice water sustainability. Meraki Digital (www.merakidigital.co.in) – a planet positive communications agency dedicated to climate action has joined the coalition. The coalition will drive the “Blue Taxonomy” jointly being developed by AquaKraft and Frost & Sullivan, UK.” said The International Water Sustainability Coalition convenor Sami Souissi.
Speaking on the occasion, Quazar Investment CEO Waleed Khalid Al Ali said, “It is a very momentous occasion for UAE to host The International Water Sustainability Coalition and Quazar is very proud to be a part of it. We invite all the stakeholders across the world to join this coalition and aim to sign an The International Water Treaty on UN World Water Day 2024 in Dubai. We are also very happy to announce our investment in the joint venture, AquaKraft BlueTech Solutions LLC, which will address the water & food security in UAE and Middle East, and work with all stakeholders in achieving The UAE Water Security Strategy 2036. We are very impressed with Dr. Subramanya’s vision and together we will make the world water positive.”
AquaKraft BlueTech Solutions LLC., U.A.E., will leverage the collective philosophies & strengths of AquaKraft Group Ventures & Quazar Investment and is poised to redefine the “Circular Water Sustainability” with its latest innovation Sustainable AquAgro Circular Economy.
“A lot has been spoken about climate action & resilience but Water which is core to sustainability has been clearly missing the narrative. It is a proud moment for us to launch The International Water Sustainability Coalition along with congruent minded partners, Leo Burnett India and Quazar Investments. We are equally excited with our partnership with Quazar as both our philosophies are congruent towards sustainable impact and together we will drive the water sustainability narrative across the middle east which is by far the most water bereft regions of the world. Our objective is to treat over ten billion litres of water in UAE and extrapolate this model across the Middle East capturing significant share in over USD 50 billion and growing water opportunity in the next 3 years,” said AquaKraft Group Ventures founder chairman & CEO Dr.Subramanya Kusnur.
AquaKraft BlueTech will implement AquaKraft’s AqVerium (www.aqverium.com) – World’s 1st Digital Water Bank which will audit, verify & validate water use and efficiency data, incentivize water positivity with AquaKredits – Water Credits and provide and digital marketplace to offset water deficit by buying AquaKredits. It will also provide a platform to sell recycled sewage water for agriculture by water conscious stakeholders.
Quazar Investments CFO Sameer Salgar added “Quazar has incubated the joint venture with an investment of USD 9 million and we are very bullish about potential and growth. We are very impressed with the vision and legacy of AquaKraft as they address complex challenges in the highly unstructured water markets across the world. Their understanding of grass root problems in every geography and curation of simple & customized solutions make them stand differently from all in the space. One of our major focus areas will be creating the world’s 1st WATER EXCHANGE which will revolutionise the global Water Market.”
AD Agencies
ABBY Awards 2026 names Rajdeepak Das, Khazanchi, Ramaswamy jury chairs
Top creative leaders to steer judging across film and direct categories
MUMBAI: The Ad Club has announced the appointment of three of India’s most prominent creative leaders as jury chairs for the ABBY Awards 2026, powered by The One Club.
Rajdeepak Das, chief creative officer, South Asia, Publicis Groupe and chairman, South Asia, Leo Burnett, will chair the AV Film (TV) category. Ashish Khazanchi, managing partner at Enormous, will lead the AV Film (Digital and OTT) jury, while Anupama Ramaswamy, managing director and chief creative officer at Havas Creative India, takes charge of the Direct category.
The trio brings a mix of creative firepower and industry experience to the judging table. Das is known for blending creativity with technology to solve real-world problems, with landmark campaigns such as Whisper’s “Touch the Pickle” and “Missing Chapter” helping reshape conversations around menstrual health. His work has earned top honours at global platforms including Cannes Lions and The One Show.
Khazanchi, meanwhile, has built Enormous into one of India’s leading independent agencies. Best known for creating Tata Sky’s “Jingalala” campaign, he has played a key role in shaping brand narratives for both legacy companies and startups, picking up hundreds of awards along the way.
Ramaswamy’s appointment rounds off the leadership trio with a strong focus on culturally resonant creativity. Her campaign “Ink of Democracy” became one of the most awarded works globally in 2025, earning multiple honours across Cannes Lions, Clio and Spikes Asia. Over the years, she has built a reputation for work that not only wins awards but also shapes public discourse.
The appointments come as the ABBY Awards continue to sharpen their global positioning, with backing from The One Club adding international heft to the platform.
The awards will be held during Goafest 2026 from May 20 to 22 at Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon, bringing together the industry’s top creative minds for what promises to be a closely watched showcase of ideas.
With heavyweight jury chairs in place, the stage is set for a high-stakes celebration of creativity where craft, culture and commerce collide.
