Srinivasan K Swamy elected as AAAI president, Jaideep Gandhi is association’s vice-president

The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has elected Srinivasan K Swamy, executive group chairman of R K Swamy Ltd, as its President for 2025–26. The decision was made at the association’s annual general body meeting held on 14 August 2025. Alongside Swamy, Jaideep Gandhi was elected as vice-president for the year.

Swamy, also known as Sundar Swamy, acknowledged the significance of the appointment. He said, “I am honoured to be elected President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India for 2025–26, and deeply humbled that this marks my fourth term in this role, following my earlier tenure from 2004 to 2007.”

Over the years, Swamy has held roles across multiple industry bodies, both in India and internationally. His previous responsibilities include chairing the International Advertising Association (IAA), where he also served as World President, chairing the Confederation of Asian Advertising Agencies Association and the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA). Within India, he has held positions as Chairman of the Advertising Standards Council of India and Audit Bureau of Circulations. He has also been President of the India Chapter of IAA, the All India Management Association, and the Madras Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Jaideep Gandhi was elected as AAAI's vice-president for the year.

The new AAAI board includes members representing agencies across the industry. Among those elected were Anupriya Acharya of Leo Burnett (TLG India), Sam Balsara of Madison Communications, Tanya Goyal of Everest Brand Solutions, Tapas Gupta of BEI Confluence Communication, Vishandas Hardasani of Matrix Publicities and Media India, Mohit Joshi of Havas Media India, Santosh Kumar of Innocean Worldwide Communication, Kunal Lalani of Crayons Advertising, Chandramouli Muthu of Maitri Advertising Works, Vikram Sakhuja of Madison Media and OOH, Kartik Sharma of Omnicom Media Group India, Anusha Shetty of Grey Worldwide (India), Shashi Sinha of Initiative Media (India), K Srinivas of Sloka Advertising, and Paritosh Srivastava of L&K Saatchi & Saatchi.

The immediate past president, WPP Media’s Prasanth Kumar, will serve as an ex-officio member of the board. He held the presidency from 2022 to 2025.

Reflecting on his tenure, Kumar said, “It has been a privilege to serve as President of the AAAI over the past three years from 2022-23 to 2024-25. I am deeply grateful to all our members and my fellow Board colleagues for their tremendous help, trust, and support throughout this journey. My heartfelt congratulations to Srinivasan K Swamy on his election as President. I am confident that, with his vast experience and vision, he will steer AAAI to even greater achievements.”

The transition comes at a time when the advertising industry faces challenges ranging from shifts in media consumption to questions on measurement, accountability, and regulatory oversight. AAAI, which represents the interests of Indian advertising agencies, has historically played a role in addressing issues affecting the sector, from industry standards to government engagement. Swamy’s fourth term as president underscores both continuity and the weight of experience in steering the association.

As Swamy returns to lead the AAAI, industry observers will watch how the association balances legacy responsibilities with emerging priorities such as digital transformation, ethical advertising, and agency sustainability in a competitive marketplace.