The WOW Awards Asia, the region’s leading business and recognition platform for Experiential Marketing, MICE, Live Entertainment, and the Wedding industry, is set to return for its 17th edition at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai, on July 3–4, 2026.
Widely regarded as one of the most prestigious accolades in the experiential industry, the WOW Awards Asia continues to celebrate excellence, innovation, and outstanding achievements across the events and experiences ecosystem. This year, the awards invite entries across 106 categories, organized into five distinct groups: Experiential Marketing Awards, Experiential Celebrations Awards, Experiential Tech Awards, Hotel & Venue Awards, and Live Quotient Awards.
The awards follow a robust two-stage evaluation process, with entries reviewed by an accomplished panel of industry leaders and experts. Independently validated by EY, the judging process is designed to uphold the highest standards of transparency, fairness, and credibility. Carefully selected for their expertise and diverse professional backgrounds, the jury members bring valuable insights that help identify and recognize the industry’s most exceptional work.
As brands, agencies, and event professionals gear up to showcase their best campaigns and experiences, the spotlight turns to Group A – the Experiential Marketing Awards. One of the most competitive and closely watched segments of the platform, this category recognizes exceptional campaigns, activations, events, and marketing initiatives conceptualized and executed for brands, corporations, associations, and government organizations.
Comprising 39 categories, the Experiential Marketing Awards celebrate excellence in creativity, strategy, audience engagement, innovation, and measurable impact. Each entry will be evaluated by a distinguished jury panel comprising senior marketers, brand custodians, communication leaders, and industry veterans, ensuring that the most deserving work is recognized and honored on one of the industry’s most respected stages.
The esteemed Jury of Experiential Marketing Group are:
Ashish Jha – Brand Lead, Bacardi
Ashish Jha is a marketing leader with extensive experience in brand management and consumer marketing across the beverage industry. As Brand Lead at Bacardi, he drives the growth of iconic brands through innovative campaigns, culture-led marketing, and consumer-centric strategies. Having previously worked with AB InBev on brands such as Budweiser and Haywards 5000, he is known for building strong brand equity and meaningful consumer connections.
Monalisa Mandal – Head of Marketing, Devans Modern Breweries
Monalisa Mandal is the Head of Marketing at Devans Modern Breweries Ltd., leading iconic brands including Godfather Beer, Six Fields Beer, and GianChand Indian Single Malt. With over 20 years of experience across Alcobev, media, entertainment, and automotive sectors, she is known for driving brand reinvention, digital transformation, and culture-led marketing initiatives that create strong consumer engagement and business growth.
Ninad Satish Pathak – AVP – Marketing & Communications, Phillips
Ninad Satish Pathak is the Head of Brand Marketing & Communications at Phillips Education India, with over 14 years of experience in integrated marketing, brand development, and strategic communications. He leads ATL, BTL, digital, social, PR, content, and experiential marketing initiatives, creating impactful brand experiences that drive engagement, visibility, and business growth.
Nishank Joshi – Chief Marketing Officer, Nexus Select Malls
Nishank Joshi is the Chief Marketing Officer at Nexus Select Mall Management Pvt. Ltd., with nearly three decades of experience in retail, real estate, and destination marketing. He has played a pivotal role in shaping some of India’s leading shopping destinations through innovative marketing, consumer engagement, and experiential campaigns that drive footfalls, brand affinity, and customer experiences.
Omkar Bhat – Head Marketing Excellence , The Heineken Co.
Omkar Bhat is a marketing leader at The HEINEKEN Company with experience across global organizations including Procter & Gamble and Google. An alumnus of MICA, he is known for building culturally relevant brands through strategic storytelling, digital innovation, and consumer-centric marketing, creating impactful campaigns that drive engagement and business growth.
Pooja Asar – Head of Marketing EV, Tata Motors
Pooja Asar is the Head of Marketing at Tata Motors, with over 19 years of experience across automotive, FMCG, and consumer goods. Having held leadership roles at Tata Motors, Paytm, and Unilever, she is known for driving brand growth, category innovation, and consumer-centric marketing strategies that create impactful campaigns and strengthen market leadership.
Pranav Sawhney – Director of Marketing & Partnerships, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters
Pranav Sawhney is the Director of Marketing & Partnerships at Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, with over a decade of experience spanning brand building, culture marketing, hospitality, performing arts, and communications. Known for creating brands that resonate with communities, he has led marketing, partnerships, and experiential initiatives across F&B, theatre, retail, and lifestyle sectors, crafting meaningful consumer experiences and culturally relevant brand narratives.
Preet Pahwa – Senior Vice President & National Head Partnerships & Alliances, Kotak Mahindra Bank
Preet Pahwa is a seasoned marketing leader with over two decades of experience across banking and e-commerce. He specializes in marketing activations, strategic partnerships, and alliance management, creating impactful consumer engagement initiatives that drive brand visibility and business growth.
Prerna Sangal – Marketing Head, Simba Beer & ZigZag Vodka
Prerna Sangal is the Head of Marketing at ZigZag, with experience across consumer brands, startups, and e-commerce. Having worked with companies such as Simba, Wabi Project, SC Johnson, and Dressfolk, she brings expertise in brand building, growth marketing, and consumer engagement, creating impactful campaigns that drive brand visibility and business growth.
Prithvi Handa – Category Marketing Head , Suntory Global Spirits
Prithvi Handa is the Category Marketing Head for the Teacher’s & Malt Scotch Whisky Portfolio at Suntory Global Spirits. An award-winning marketer and recipient of the CMO Innovation Award at the Lagshya Pitch Best CMO Awards 2026, he is known for building premium brands through insight-led strategies, digital innovation, and culturally relevant consumer experiences that drive engagement and business growth.
Rajesh Ambokar – Vice President & Group Head Administration, Travel & MICE, GM Modular
Rajesh Ambokar is a seasoned operations and business excellence professional with over 24 years of experience in administration, facility management, and large-scale operational leadership. Known for driving process optimization, cost efficiency, and organizational excellence, he has successfully led complex operations, managed large teams, and delivered impactful business solutions across diverse environments.
