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 3 jury chairs across digital, PR and publisher
Aditiya, Dharmaraj and Puri to lead key categories at Goafest 2026
MUMBAI: The Ad Club has announced the appointment of PG Aditiya, Deepshikha Dharmaraj and Pavita Puri as jury chairs for the Digital, PR and Publisher categories respectively at the ABBY Awards 2026, powered by The One Club and The One Show.
The awards are set to take place during Goafest 2026 from May 20 to 22 at Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon, bringing together some of the biggest names in advertising and marketing.
PG Aditiya, founder and CCO at Talented, will chair the Digital jury. A former chief creative officer at Dentsu Webchutney, he now leads Talented, an employee-owned independent agency known for its unconventional structure and award-winning work for brands such as Meta, Google, Britannia and Tanishq. The agency has also been recognised as a global ‘Best Place to Work’ by Campaign magazine for two consecutive years.
In the PR category, Deepshikha Dharmaraj, CEO at Burson Group India, brings over three decades of experience in public relations and integrated communications. She oversees multiple entities including Burson Genesis, GCI Health India and Hill & Knowlton India. Known for her strategic counsel and leadership, Dharmaraj has also served as president of industry bodies such as PRCAI and PAFI, and has been a jury member at global platforms including Cannes PR Lions and D&AD Awards.
Pavita Puri, chief brand and marketing officer at The Indian Express Group, will chair the Publisher category. With over 15 years of leadership experience, she has been instrumental in driving the group’s transition into a digital-first media powerhouse, overseeing brands such as The Indian Express, Financial Express, Loksatta and Jansatta. Her earlier stints in advertising include roles at Rediffusion and Lowe India, where she handled marquee clients across sectors.
The appointments reflect a strong mix of creative, communications and media expertise, underscoring the awards’ focus on recognising excellence across evolving industry segments.
As the industry gears up for Goafest, the ABBY Awards 2026 promise to spotlight standout work, with seasoned leaders at the helm of jury deliberations shaping the benchmark for creative excellence.
