The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has announced the formation of a Media Council, to be chaired by Kartik Sharma of Omnicom Media India. The initiative is part of AAAI’s agenda for 2026–27 to strengthen specialist participation and give member agencies a greater voice in shaping the industry’s future.
The council will provide a platform for agencies to discuss issues affecting the media business, bringing together perspectives from large networks, independent agencies and regional businesses. Its key priorities will include audience research and measurement, transparency and accountability, evolving media trading practices, talent development and the impact of technology on media planning and buying.
It will also seek to encourage engagement with advertisers, media owners, research bodies and other industry stakeholders, while facilitating knowledge sharing to help agencies respond to changing audience behaviour, emerging platforms and evolving client expectations.
Speaking about the appointment, Kartik Sharma, CEO of Omnicom Media India and chair of the AAAI Media Council, said, “Congratulations to the new Board. It’s encouraging to see a mix of experience, entrepreneurial ambition and diverse perspectives come together. I’m grateful to AAAI for the opportunity to lead its Media Council and look forward to working with the next generation of leaders, whose fresh perspectives and ambition will be critical to advancing the Council’s mandate and building a stronger, more future-ready media ecosystem for Indian advertising. We will focus on bringing world-class learning systems to India through local and global knowledge partnerships, creating a flagship annual platform for industry-wide collaboration and the exchange of ideas - bringing together some of the best minds across the ecosystem, and developing thought leadership and practical playbooks on emerging areas such as CTV and cross-screen measurement.”
Sharma brings over 30 years of experience across media strategy, communication planning, behavioural economics, analytics and technology. He serves on the AAAI Board and BARC’s Disciplinary Committee and is a member of the Board of Governors of the Media Research Users Council India (MRUCI). He has previously held key positions at TAM Media Research and the Indian Readership Survey. His accolades include the IAA Media Influencer of the Year 2026 and e4m Influencer of the Year 2025.
Dr Sandeep Goyal, President of AAAI for 2026–27, said, “Let this media council be the industry's adda and its university: where advertising's best minds in media debate bold ideas, challenge old rules, and pass on hard-won wisdom to the next generation of storytellers and brand-shapers.”
