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 Nitin Saini, Vice President-Marketing, Mondelez International, 2025 marked the acceleration of premiumisation, faster consumption via quick commerce, and early AI adoption in marketing.
Reflecting on what stood out last year, Saini notes the momentum that set the stage for what’s next:“We will see continued premiumization across categories in 2026 with consumers looking for more premium and sophisticated experiences.”
That momentum, he believes, is now evolving into sharper, more technology-led opportunities for marketers. Looking ahead to 2026, Saini sees scale, speed and intelligence coming together in a decisive way: “This will further get fuelled by the expansion of quick commerce as we saw in 2025 as well. The other trend will be AI and how marketeers leverage the same to be more efficient in both creative development as well as media planning.”
(As told to Neeta Nair)
