As we begin the New Year, we spoke to industry leaders to reflect on the shifts that shaped 2025 and the forces expected to define 2026. For Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Network India, 2025 marked a decisive pivot from scale-led media thinking to value-driven, outcome-focused impact.
Reflecting on how the media industry evolved over the past year, Joshi points to a deeper redefinition of media’s role in business growth, “2025 marked a clear shift in the media industry from chasing scale to delivering meaningful value. Brands became more intentional about attention quality, trust, and measurable business outcomes, elevating media’s role from distribution to a strategic growth partner.”
Looking ahead, he believes the next phase will be shaped by intelligence-led systems, converging ecosystems, and heightened accountability, “As we look towards 2026, AI will evolve from an efficiency tool into an intelligence layer that actively shapes planning and decision-making. The convergence of content, commerce, and communities will redefine relevance, while responsible media anchored in transparency, sustainability, and brand safety will firmly move onto the boardroom agenda. Together, these shifts will demand sharper thinking, stronger accountability, and deeper collaboration across the ecosystem.”
(As told to Jennifer Thomas)
