WOW Awards Asia 2026 successfully hosted the 5th Edition of the Experiential CMO Awards 2026 on July 3–4, 2026, at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai, bringing together some of the country’s leading marketing minds, brand custodians and industry innovators. The prestigious platform recognised marketing leaders who have been redefining customer engagement through creativity, innovation, strategic thinking and experiential marketing.
Over the years, the Experiential CMO Awards has established itself as a platform celebrating marketing leaders who have transformed the way brands connect with consumers. The 5th edition continued this legacy by spotlighting professionals who have delivered impactful campaigns, driven brand growth and created memorable consumer experiences.
The 2026 edition recognised a diverse group of marketing leaders from across industries for their contribution to the evolving experiential marketing landscape. The honourees included:
- Abhinav Iyer – Chief General Manager, The Muthoot Group
- Arkaprava Ray – Head, Marketing – Strategy | Brand Partnerships & Events | Content & IPs, HSBC India
- Darshana Shah – Former CMO, Aditya Birla Capital
- Debasree Dasgupta – CMO, Pernod Ricard India
- Harshad Jain – Head – Brand, Media & Omnichannel Marketing, IDFC First Bank
- Jasleen Kaur – Head of Brand Marketing & PR, Bata India Limited
- Jiteen Aggarwal – CMO, Hettich India Pvt Ltd
- Kaustubh Jha – Head – Sports & Entertainment Marketing, India and South Asia, The Coca-Cola Company
- Khushnaz Dharuwala – AVP Marketing and Communications, Nykaa
- Mayank Lalpuria – Director Marketing, The Phoenix Mills Ltd.
- Mayank Prabhakar – Chief Media Officer, Vivo India
- Omkar Bhat – Head of Marketing Excellence, The Heineken Co
- Preet Khatwa – Senior Vice President, Kotak Mahindra Bank
- Prema Sangal – Head of Marketing, Simba Beer & Zig-Zag Vodka
- Prithi Handa – Category Marketing Head, Suntory Global Spirits
- Siddharth Singhvi – Vice President, Wonder Cement Ltd.
The awards brought together leaders representing sectors including banking and financial services, FMCG, retail, technology, hospitality, beverages, automotive and consumer brands, reflecting the increasingly cross-industry role of experiential marketing in shaping brand conversations.
The 5th edition also served as a platform for insightful conversations and high-impact networking, with marketing leaders exchanging perspectives on emerging consumer behaviours, evolving brand experiences and the growing importance of meaningful engagement. As brands increasingly look beyond traditional advertising to build stronger consumer relationships, experiential marketing has emerged as a critical part of the modern marketing mix.
The Experiential CMO Awards 2026 recognised leaders who have pushed the boundaries of creativity and strategic marketing while demonstrating how experiences can create deeper and more lasting connections between brands and audiences. Their work reflected the changing expectations of consumers and the need for brands to deliver experiences that are relevant, immersive and purposeful.
With the successful completion of its fifth edition, the Experiential CMO Awards continued to spotlight the individuals shaping the future of brand engagement and setting new benchmarks for experiential marketing in India.
