MUMBAI, 5 JULY, 2020 (GPN): The IMPACT 7th Edition ‘Top 30 Under 30’ initiative to pick the 30 most talented individuals under the age of 30 from the Indian Creative, Media and Digital agencies has just been released. In what is a new record for the property, the list this year sees a fantastic number of female achievers – 21 of them are women! Another impressive statistic is the representation of Ogilvy in the list, with nine achievers from the agency. Dentsu Webchutney and Wavemaker also have plenty of reason to celebrate, with four and three winners to their credit.
The Top 30 Under 30 list, 2020 is presented by Zing!

The list has only become wider and more diverse with talent from as many as 17 companies finding a spot in it. This year, IMPACT widened the scope of the initiative, and opened nominations from anyone under 30 years of age from any media, advertising and marketing background. That widened scope was reflected in over 160 entries and in the kind of companies represented in the list – from brands and media companies like Viacom18, Bisleri, Times Internet and Flipkart, to new-age influencer and content companies like Monk Entertainment and Pocket Aces, the winners are a real reflection of the industry’s diversity.

The other companies that see representation on the list are Mindshare, DDB Mudra Group, 82.5 Communications, Times Internet, Performics India, SoCheers, Leo Burnett, 22Feet Tribal Worldwide and VML Y&R.

More than half the achievers are aged between 28 and 29, while the youngest on the list is 24-year-old Viraj Sheth, CEO & Co-founder, Monk Entertainment. Given that these young leaders are on the threshold of crossing the age of 30 years, we may well see them earn a spot on the IMPACT Top 40 Under 40 list in the coming years. It’s a sign that the industry is in young and capable hands.

THE SELECTION PROCESS
To arrive at IMPACT’s Top 30 Under 30 list for 2020, a high-powered jury chaired by Avinash Pandey, CEO, ABP News Network pored over more than 160 entries earlier this year. Pandey was ably supported by the other industry leaders on the IMPACT Top 30 under 30 jury – Ashwini Deshpande, Co-founder and Director, Elephant Design, Jai Lala, COO, Zenith (Publicis), Sonia Huria, SVP & Head, Corp Marketing, Comm & Sustainability, Viacom18, Azim Lalani, COO, Brand Solutions & Convergence, Network18 Digital, Aditi Shrivastava, Co-founder, Pocket Aces, Vednarayan Sirdeshpande, Head of Marketing, Discovery India, N Jayakrishnan (JK), Head – Brand Communications, Mathrubhumi,

Kranti Gada, COO, Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd, Gautam Reghunath, CEO, Dentsu Webchutney, Hemant Shringy, Chief Creative Officer, BBDO India, Kapil Arora, Co-Chairman and CEO, 82.5 Communications and Gulshan Verma, SVP & Head, Client & Agency, Hotstar. A rigorous process, with a good amount of debate and deliberation, saw the jury arrive at the final list of IMPACT Top 30 under 30 for 2020. A tie with regard to points awarded by the jury resulted in 31 achievers on the list.

Here are the achievers on IMPACT’s Top 30 Under 30, 2020 list: