Known to be the highest honour given to an individual in India for his/ her outstanding contribution to the advertising industry, the Advertising Agencies Association of India is all set to confer Vikram Sakhuja, Equity Partner and Group CEO of Madison Media and OOH, Madison World with the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award for 2024.
Some of the past winners of this award include Subhas Ghosal, Alyque Padamsee, Mike Khanna, R K Swamy, Piyush Pandey, Sam Balsara, Prem Mehta, Roda Mehta, Ram Sehgal, Madhukar Kamath, Arvind Sharma, Colvyn Harris, Shashi Sinha and others.
Notably, the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award is presented annually to an individual who has been a practitioner of advertising for twenty-five years and had been in the top management position; has been or continues to be an active participant in industry bodies and or made significant contributions in shaping the industry priorities which enabled the advertising industry to grow, prosper and become more professionalized; individual known for his integrity, ethical practice and leadership qualities; contributed to his Company/Companies growth by innovative thinking and taking them in newer directions; involved in projects of social consequence which is seen as a role model for the industry at large and had been an industry veteran.
Sakhuja, an IIT Delhi and IIM Calcutta alumnus, has nearly 40 years of experience with industry giants like P&G, Coca-Cola, Star TV, WPP, and Madison. He began his career as a DCM Management Trainee in 1984 and after his MBA joined P&G in 1988 handling marketing research and media. He then moved to Coca-Cola, where he managed brand marketing for five years and later joined Star TV as EVP Marketing before joining WPP in 2001, eventually becoming the first Indian Global CEO of a global advertising and media agency.
Being a prominent figure in the media industry, his leadership roles have included leading Mindshare and GroupM South Asia, chairing FICCI’s Advertising and Marketing Committee, and serving on the boards of key industry bodies like BARC and AAAI.
That being said, during the course of his career, Sakhuja has been instrumental in driving business growth and innovation and it was under his leadership at GroupM which resulted in the introduction of innovative practices in mobile, social media, and content. In fact, he has also been pivotal in launching iconic brands like Ariel, Sprite, and IPL, and spearheading research initiatives like BASES and the Conversion Model.
His efforts transformed GroupM into an award-winning industry leader, consistently winning more than 50% of industry awards. But the tale doesn’t just end there as his influence extends to his contributions in setting up India’s first Media AOR and pioneering numerous media practices that have shaped the country’s advertising landscape.
Commenting on his selection as this year’s AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award winner, AAAI President and GroupM South Asia CEO- Prasanth Kumar said, “”On behalf of the entire industry, it is a profound privilege to present Vikram Sakhuja with the AAAI Lifetime achievement Award 2024. It’s a pleasure to celebrate this moment as well as express gratitude to Vikram Sakhuja’s contributions to media and advertising industry. Vikram’s visionary leadership and relentless pursuit of innovation have continuously helped media agencies to shape progressively. Having worked closely with Vikram, his remarkable journey, from cutting edge marketing strategies to driving transformative industry change, continues to inspire professionals across the board. This recognition is a testament to his commitment and immense efforts that has reflected invaluable impact he has had on the industry.”
To this, Anupriya Acharya, Chairperson, AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award Selection Committee added, “Vikram’s unparalleled three-decade contribution has revolutionized our industry. His exceptional expertise in media, marketing, and advertising, combined with his relentless pursuit of excellence, sets him apart. His leadership skills are unmatched, as he mentors and inspires the next generation of industry leaders. It has been an absolute honor to work with him closely both at work as well as in the industry forums. And I am thrilled, proud, and eagerly anticipate Vikram being awarded this highest honour of our industry, recognizing his extraordinary influence and lasting legacy.”
