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IBC appoints Mark Smith as council chair
Mumbai; IBC has appointed Mark Smith as chair of the IBC council. The Council is a long-established advisory group drawn from senior media and entertainment (M&E) executives. Its role is to advise IBC on key strategic issues. Smith will chair his first Council meeting during IBC2023, which takes place in the RAI Amsterdam on 15-18 September.
“It is a great honour to have been appointed chair of the IBC council,” Smith said. “I will be striving to ensure we have a strong balance of council members to reflect IBC’s traditional and evolving stakeholders – including opinion formers, visitors, and exhibitors. This balance will be key to informing the development of compelling IBC events for the future, ensuring we continue to evolve and deliver as the essential global business and technology communications platform and marketplace for the media and entertainment industry”.
Smith has spent more than 30 years in the technology and events sector, focused on industry-level technology evolution, innovation programmes and M&E initiatives. As Communications and Marketing Director for the GSMA, the industry organisation that represents the interests of mobile network operators worldwide, he was a key part of the team that acquired and grew the Mobile World Congress (MWC) as it became one of the biggest technology shows in the world.
Over the last decade, he has focused on the intersection between the communications and M&E sectors. His experience has helped him launch and develop the now-established IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme, which brings together pioneering media companies and leading-edge technology partners to collaborate on solutions that address real-world challenges and drive advances across a range of areas.
IBC chief executive officer Michael Crimp said: “Mark’s skill in bringing people together and building networks and relationships will prove a great asset to the council, alongside his knowledge of digital and media markets and some of the most relevant challenges and opportunities ahead of our industry. I also want to thank John Honeycutt for leading the council through the difficult pandemic era. John ensured that the council provided essential feedback at a time when the industry was unable to meet in person.”
Outgoing chair John Honeycutt said: “It has been a great honour to serve as IBC council chair. I have enjoyed the challenge, but now my term has ended. IBC is not only a media industry leader but also a leader for the global conference industry as it returns to a new normal. With great leadership and compelling proposition, IBC is well positioned to thrive and innovate for years to come.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
