Vikram Sakhuja to receive AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award 2024

The Advertising Agencies Association of India today announced that the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award for 2024 will be conferred on Vikram Sakhuja.

Sakhuja, an IIT Delhi and IIM Calcutta alumnus, has nearly 40 years of experience in the industry with brands 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 moved to Coca-Cola, where he managed brand marketing for five years. He later joined Star TV as EVP Marketing before joining the WPP group in 2001, eventually becoming the first Indian Global CEO of a global advertising and media agency. Currently, Sakhuja is the Equity Partner and Group CEO of Madison.

His leadership roles have included leading Mindshare and GroupM South Asia, chairing FICCI's Advertising & Marketing Committee, and serving on the boards of key industry bodies like BARC and AAAI. He has also been a prominent figure in the media industry, frequently recognised in the Economic Times’ list of most influential people and invited to speak at forums like the World Economic Forum. Sakhuja has been important in driving business growth and innovation throughout his career. His leadership at GroupM resulted in the introduction of different practices in mobile, social media, and content. Sakhuja has been important in launching brands like Ariel, Sprite, and IPL, and leading research initiatives like BASES and the Conversion Model. His efforts transformed GroupM into an award-winning company, winning more than 50% of industry awards. Sakhuja's 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.

On Sakhuja's selection as this year’s AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award winner, AAAI President 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 for Vikram Sakhuja’s contributions to the 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 have reflected the invaluable impact he has had on the industry."