The Ad Club has announced the appointment of Josy Paul, Minakshi Achan and Mayur Hola as jury chairs for the ABBY Awards 2026 powered by The One Club for Creativity | The One Show. The appointments span the Sustainable Development Goals, Branded Content and Entertainment, and Brand Experience and Activation categories respectively.
Paul has been named jury chair for the Sustainable Development Goals category. As chairperson and chief creative officer at BBDO India, he is known for championing purpose-led campaigns that intersect with culture. He co-founded BBDO India in 2008, introducing the philosophy of “Create acts, not ads.” His body of work includes campaigns such as ‘Share The Load’ for Ariel, ‘Touch The Pickle’ for Whisper, ‘Women Against Lazy Stubble’ for Gillette, ‘Release The Pressure’ for Mirinda and ‘Kindness Is Cashless’ for Visa. These campaigns have addressed themes of equality, inclusion and mental health, contributing to global conversations.
Paul’s work has received recognition including a Cannes Lions Grand Prix for ‘Touch The Pickle’ and multiple Glass Lions Golds for ‘Share The Load’, which was twice ranked the World’s Most Effective Campaign by WARC. His jury experience includes roles such as Jury President at Cannes Lions 2025 for the SDG category and previous leadership roles at D&AD, Spikes Asia and Dubai Lynx. His creative philosophy is reflected in his statement ‘Content is King, Context is King Kong’.
Achan will chair the Branded Content and Entertainment category. As head of brand at JioStar, she leads marketing and creative for a large-scale media and streaming ecosystem, overseeing the brand mandate for JioHotstar along with entertainment and sports businesses. With nearly three decades of experience, her career spans advertising, media and fashion, including leadership roles such as chief creative officer at Rediffusion Y&R and House of Anita Dongre.
Hola has been appointed jury chair for the Brand Experience and Activation category. As vice president brand at Swiggy, he oversees brand strategy across its portfolio. His career includes roles leading brand at OYO and serving as chief marketing officer at Subway India. His work focuses on building brands that create emotional engagement, with an emphasis on relevance in a fast-evolving consumer landscape.
The ABBY Awards 2026 Powered by The One Club | The One Show will be held during Goafest 2026 from May 20 to 22, 2026 at Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon. The appointments reflect a mix of creative, content and brand experience expertise, aligning with the evolving priorities of the advertising and marketing industry.
