Who owns influence today? Would you say brands do so? Perhaps you believe leaders rule the roost? Or maybe you’re of the belief the algorithm rules supreme?
Think about it. Really think about it. It is a question that sounds deceptively straightforward until you actually try to answer it. Because the truth is that the ownership of influence has become genuinely contested, and the rules are being rewritten in real time.
Getting to the bottom of this rabbit hole might not be as easy as you think, but the inaugural edition of the Team Marksmen network’s Marketing and Communication Excellence Awards brought together 80+ senior leaders, including corporate communication heads, industry experts, and decision-makers, to discuss the evolving nature of influence in today’s digitally driven and decentralised ecosystem.
The event commenced with a welcome address by Sharad Gupta, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Team Marksmen Network, who highlighted the growing significance of purposeful influence in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. In his remarks, he emphasised that influence today is shaped not only by brands but also by leadership voices, digital platforms, and evolving audience expectations.
A key highlight of the conference was a thought-provoking panel discussion on “Who Owns Influence Today – Brands, Leaders, or Algorithms?” which examined how influence has evolved in a world where digital platforms, artificial intelligence, and leadership narratives play a defining role in shaping public perception.
The panel featured distinguished industry leaders including Honeydeep Singh Sabharwal, Chief Operating Officer & CMO, Pando.ai; Priti Gandhi, Head of Communications, TKIL; Natasha Kedia, Head – Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals; and Samina Khalid, Head – Corporate Communications, Thermax Limited. The discussion was moderated by Karan Karayi, Editor-in-Chief, Team Marksmen Network, who guided the conversation on key themes such as the shifting ownership of influence in a fragmented media ecosystem, the growing impact of algorithms on perception, the role of leadership credibility in building trust, and the importance of balancing AI-driven communication scale with authenticity and ethical responsibility.
Adding further depth to the conference, Mohit Shrivastava, AVP – Research & Consulting at Coherent Market Insights, shared insights into the evaluation framework and research methodology used to identify influential leaders and organisations, highlighting the parameters used to assess leadership credibility and communication impact.
The conference also featured a special address by the Chief Guest, Shri Subhash Desai, Former Minister of Industries, Government of Maharashtra, who spoke about the importance of responsible leadership, trust, and purposeful communication in shaping meaningful influence across governance and business. He also felicitated the distinguished leaders, acknowledging their contributions to driving impactful and responsible communication.
The event concluded with a felicitation ceremony, where 35 leaders were felicitated for their excellence in corporate communications, leadership influence, and industry impact. Those recognised in this celebration par excellence included:
The Marketing and Communication Excellence Awards recognised something specific: not the loudest campaigns, not the biggest budgets, but the leaders and organisations that have built influence that lasts. Influence grounded in trust, credibility, and a genuine commitment to impact, whose ripple effects will be felt far and wide.
The following leaders were felicitated under the respective categories:
Leaders in Focus – Marketing
* Amit Garg, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
* Anchit Chandra, Muthoot Fincorp Limited
* Bansri Rajadnye, Galderma
* Divya Batra, Haldiram’s
* Honeydeep Singh Sabharwal, Pando.ai
* Jiteen Aggarwal, Hettich India
* Khyati Shah, Welspun World
* Priti Vinchhi, Leap India
* Priyankka Sethhi, Haier Appliances
* Rajashakher Intha, Cyble
* Ranjan Dhar, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India)
* Reema Wadhwani, Uniphore
* Ruchi Mohan, IBM India Pvt. Ltd.
* Salman Hamdulay, NTT Data Global Data Centers
* Shreyashi Keshri, McCain
* Sumit Puri, Tata CLiQ
* Stuti Anand, NiCE (India & ME)
* Vinod Philip, Lumina Datamatics
Rising Star – Marketing
* Aakash Mishra, Donear Group
* Abhijit Rajkumar Bakhtiani, GM Modular
* Harsh Gulati, Fenesta
* Pooja Rawal, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India)
* Prabhsharan Kaur, SKF India
* Sonam Shetty, NTT Global Data
Leaders in Focus – Corporate Communications & PR
* Apoorva Saigal, Piaggio
* Joeleen Gomez, Ramboll India
* Meena Iyer, Tata CLiQ
* Priti Gandhi, TKIL Industries
* Shirley C. Dsilva, Lenovo India
* Jaikishin Chhaproo, ITC Limited
* Madiha Vahid, Piramal Pharma
* Natasha Kedia, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Ltd
* Samina Khalid, Thermax Limited
* Shilpashree Muniswamappa, Colgate Palmolive
* Shree Das, Britannia
