IAA: Srinivasan Swamy entrusted with Apac role; Pradeep Guha re-appointed area director

Following the annual meeting of its board of directors of the International Advertising Association (IAA) on 18 June 2013, appointment of professionals from across the globe to senior roles have been announced.

While 9X Media's Pradeep Guha has been re-appointed vice president area director, Asia Pacific, RK Swamy BBDO's Srinivasan Swamy, currently president, IAA India chapter, has been named vice president development, for the region.

Faris Abouhamad, world chairman and president, IAA, who took office in January 2013, said, "Our association, in its 75th anniversary year, will benefit from the energy and talents of IAA leadership drawn from virtually every part of the world. I am especially pleased and excited to have such able colleagues as the IAA charts its future. I cannot imagine a better or more capable team to embrace and deliver on the IAA's plans and initiatives."

Pradeep Guha said there was a lot that could be done in the rapidly developing Asia Pacific region and stressed the need for industry associations to collaborate in the greater interests of its professionals.

The full list of elected members is available here

Coming next: 75th anniversary celebrations

Swamy added that the 75th anniversary of the IAA was a landmark that would provide an impetus to many developmental events in the region, that are to be announced. He would be leading a delegation of senior Indian professionals to the IAA 75th anniversary leadership forum scheduled for 3 October 2013 in London.

The theme for the forum is 'What's Coming Next?', and it is expected to attract industry executives from across the world.

Abouhamad said, “'What's Coming Next?' will offer a global road map of industry trends, issues and opinions."

He explained that the forum would cover themes such as: latest forecasts, maintaining consumer engagement, outlook for ongoing media disruption, millennial's point of view, dealing with data, insights in mobile, ad agencies in transformation, privacy, prospects for ongoing consumer protection, winning creativity, the next big thing, and focus on China.

The list of speakers at the forum includes: Steve King, CEO worldwide, Zenith Optimedia; Erich Joachimsthaler, CEO Vivaldi Partners and author; Sandip Das, group president, Reliance Industries Jio Infocomm; Carla Michelotti, executive vice president, chief legal, government and corporate affairs director, Leo Burnett Worldwide; IAA vice president, strategist and author William Higham; and  vice minister Gan Lin, State Administration of Industry and Commerce, China.