Goafest 2013: Amul’s RS Sodhi and Panasonic’s Suresh Bandi to speak at Advertising Conclave

The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club, organisers of Goafest 2013, have announced that R S Sodhi, managing director, GCMMF (Amul), and Suresh Bandi, deputy managing director, Panasonic India, will speak at the pre-event Advertising Conclave scheduled on 4 April.

The theme for this year’s Conclave is ‘Time to Listen’. Organisers informed that over 150 senior delegates have already registered for the Conclave this year. The Conclave will be held at Zuri White Sands, Goa, from 3:30PM to 7:30PM.

As reported earlier, Nitin Paranjpe, managing director and chief executive officer, Hindustan Unilever, will deliver the keynote address. Other speakers at the conclave include Harit Nagpal, MD and CEO Tata Sky; Arundhati Bhattacharya, MD, SBI Capital Marketers; and Arunabh Das Sharma, president, Bennett Coleman. Sunil Alagh, founder and chairman, SKA Advisors, and former MD, Britannia, will moderate a panel discussion with the distinguished speakers.

Commenting on the developments surrounding the conclave, Srinivasan Swamy, chairman of Goafest Advertising Conclave, said, “It is probably the first time that we have confluence of such senior level people coming to our Conclave. This is the outcome of some of the top speakers we were able to attract and the theme of the Conclave which allows advertisers to speak frankly about the agencies’ services.”

Organisers informed that the Conclave will highlight shortcomings of media and creative agencies as perceived by major advertisers and help the industry map its future course.

Nakul Chopra, chairman, Goafest 2013, said, “We wanted to ensure that the Conclave serves as a potent learning opportunity for the Industry. With this stellar line up of speakers and a sharp theme - I am sure we have the making of an enlightening afternoon.”

The eighth edition of Goafest will be hosted at the Zuri White Sands Goa on 5 and 6 April 2013. For the sixth consecutive year, AAAI and The Advertising Club will come together to organise the Abby Awards. The Media Abbys will be awarded on 5 April, and the festival will culminate with the Creative Abby results on 6 April.