WARC and DDB Mudra host Portfolio Evening strategy edition

WARC and DDB Mudra Group hosted the first Portfolio Evening: Strategy Edition, an event designed to give emerging brand strategists with 0-5 years of experience an opportunity to receive direct feedback from senior industry leaders.

The event brought together 40 participants and 20 jurors from advertising agencies and brands. Each participant presented two pieces of work, focusing on problem definition, insight development and strategic recommendations. Jurors offered feedback and guidance during multiple review rounds.

Speaking about the event, Shashank Lanjekar, National Strategy Head, DDB Mudra Group, said, "The talent for strategy was never in question; what was needed was a springboard. The Strategy Portfolio Evening was one such effort to discover, mentor and motivate this talent. We were privileged to have one of India’s pioneers of Strategy, Madhukar Sabnavis, join us, who inspired participants by unpacking the DNA of great strategy through powerful brand examples. What we saw in the portfolios today was an exciting mix of fresh and sharp thinking."

Biprorshee Das, India Editor, WARC, added, “I am glad that DDB Mudra Group has created this platform to spotlight strategy as the driving force of modern marketing, not a support function, but the engine behind effective creativity. At WARC, we champion this belief every day. With reports like The Future of Strategy, we continue to advance the conversation on how strategic thinking can shape marketing that’s sharper, braver, and built to last,”

Khushi Sharma, Chintan Mehta and Khushi Karve were named winners of the debut edition. They are expected to receive access to WARC’s Creative Impact Unpacked from Cannes session.

The jury panel comprised:

1. Aditi Patwardhan, Former CSO, Sideways Consulting 
2. Anirban Mozumdar, CSO, TBWA\ India 
3. Dheeraj Sinha, Group CEO - India and South Asia, FCB 
4. Ekta Relan, CSO, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi 
5. Ganapathy Balagopalan, Deputy CSO, Ogilvy India 
6. Jitender Dabas, CEO, Cheil X 
7. Kawal Shoor, Planner & Founding Partner, The Womb 
8. Kirti Meera Sharad, SVP-Planning, BBDO India 
9. Layla Khan, Former SVP – Strategy, BBH
10. Mehak Jaini, Global Brand Equity Lead - Personal Care, Godrej Consumer Products Limited
11. Menaka Menon, President & Managing Partner - Growth and Strategy, DDB Mudra Group 
12. Noor Samra, National Planning Director, FCB Interface 
13. Prem Narayan, CSO, Ogilvy India 
14. Rajesh Sharma, National Planning Director, McCann Worldgroup 
15. S Subramanyeswar, Group CEO – India & CSO – APAC, MullenLowe Lintas Group
16. Sabiha Khan, Managing Partner – Strategy, Dentsu Creative  
17. Sanchari Chakrabarty, SVP & Head of Strategy, 22feet Tribal Worldwide 
18. Shashank Lanjekar, National Strategy Head, DDB Mudra Group
19. T Gangadhar, Co-founder, ZeroFifty Mediaworks  
20. Toru Jhaveri, Founder & Strategy Lead, The Stuff of Life