Spikes Asia announces 2026 jury with Indian leadership across categories

Spikes Asia has announced the jury lineup for its 2026 awards, with several senior leaders from India named across multiple categories.

Indian jury members include Ashish Khazanchi, Managing Partner at Enormous Brands, in the Creative B2B category; Gurbaksh Singh, Chief Creative and Innovation Officer at Dentsu Creative, in Creative Data and Innovation; and Anirban Roy, Chief Strategy Officer at Leo India, in Creative Effectiveness and Creative Strategy.

Anupama Ramaswamy, Managing Director and Chief Creative Officer at Havas Creative India, will serve on the Direct and Outdoor jury, while Prachi Narayan, Managing Partner at Havas Play India, has been named to the Entertainment, Gaming and Music jury.

In design and craft, Ashwini Deshpande, co-founder and Director at Elephant Design, has been named to the jury. The Digital Craft, Social and Creator category includes Deepika Baghel, Senior Creative Director at Kinnect.

India is also represented in Film Craft by Abhinav Pratiman, film director at Early Man Film; in Healthcare by Puneet Kapoor, Chief Creative Officer for the south region at Ogilvy India; in PR by Deepshikha Dharmaraj, CEO of Burson Group India; and in Media by Harsh Deep Chhabra, Global Media Lead at Godrej Consumer Products.

Announcing the jury, Melanie Speet, director of Spikes Asia, said, “The Jury is at the heart of Spikes Asia. Each Juror brings unparalleled expertise and a deep understanding of creativity’s role in driving business growth. Their insights will ensure that the work celebrated truly reflects the best of APAC’s creative industry.”

Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, added, “This year's Jury line-up demonstrates the crucial role creativity plays in delivering measurable business impact. By recognising work that drives growth, engagement and brand value, Spikes Asia continues to highlight how innovative ideas translate into real results for businesses across APAC. We’re excited to see the work they will champion and the conversations they will inspire.”

Outside India, the 2026 jury includes senior leaders from markets across Asia-Pacific, including representatives from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which together have their highest-ever representation at Spikes Asia. New brand participants this year include Hyundai, Samsung and OPPO, among others.