15th Edition ACEF Asian Leaders 2026: Meet the Diverse Jury Powering This Year’s Awards.

The ACEF Asian Leaders Conference & Awards 2026 is preparing for another landmark edition, bringing together senior professionals from marketing, brand leadership, business strategy, communications, and customer engagement. Scheduled for November 2026 in Mumbai, the platform continues to celebrate excellence, innovation, and leadership across the Asian business landscape.

The 2026 edition is further supported by a strong group of industry partners.

• Online Media Partner:Customer Engagement
• Silver Partner:ZtoA Marketing Solutions
• PR Partner:Mark and Comm

The credibility of any awards programme depends significantly on the strength of its jury. A strong jury does more than score entries; it brings professional experience, fairness, strategic perspective, and industry depth to the evaluation process. In an environment where reputation matters, a diverse judging panel helps build trust among participants and the wider business community.

The ACEF Asian Leaders 2026 jury includes accomplished professionals from communication, digital marketing, insurance, consulting, people management, branding, client servicing, and commercial excellence. Their combined expertise ensures that entries will be assessed not only for creativity, but also for strategic impact, business value, execution quality, innovation, and relevance in a rapidly changing marketplace.

Arti Singh, Founder & CEO of Immersive Communication Pvt. Ltd., brings a strong entrepreneurial and experiential storytelling lens. Her background positions her to evaluate campaigns on how deeply they engage audiences, communicate brand narratives, and translate ideas into immersive experiences. For entries that rely on innovative formats and integrated communication, her perspective is especially valuable.

Gaurang Thosani, Head – Digital Marketing & e-Sales at Royal Sundaram Insurance, represents the data-driven and performance-focused side of marketing. He is likely to look closely at measurable outcomes, customer journeys, and digital efficiency. Campaigns built on analytics, optimization, and conversion strategy will find a critical but informed evaluator in him.

Jayant Kshirsagar, Co-Founder at Fractional CMO Partners, adds the lens of strategic leadership and growth consulting. With a background in guiding multiple brands as a fractional marketing leader, he can assess how entries align with broader business goals, brand positioning, and long-term value creation. He naturally bridges the gap between creative ambition and commercial reality.

Nilmini Gunaratne, Founder & Managing Director at The Consultancy (Sri Lanka), brings regional and advisory depth. Her consultancy experience means she understands how marketing decisions are made within complex business environments. She can differentiate between ideas that are merely interesting and those that are genuinely executable and sustainable.

Rekha Weerasooriya, Group Chief People Officer at Dialog Axiata PLC (Sri Lanka), adds a human capital perspective that is rare in award juries. She is likely to consider how campaigns treat internal culture, employee engagement, and customer experience from a human-centric angle. Entries that show alignment between brand promise and internal behavior will resonate strongly with her.

Sherin Ali, Founder & Director at Thrivez, represents entrepreneurial agility and growth-oriented thinking. Her background suggests a focus on transformation, resilience, and practical innovation. Campaigns that help brands pivot, adapt, or unlock new segments may stand out under her scrutiny.

Thanzyl Thajudeen, Managing Director at Mark and Comm (Sri Lanka), brings agency-side and integrated communication experience. He is likely to view entries through the lens of full-funnel communication, media choices, and execution discipline. Multi-channel campaigns and brand-building initiatives will benefit from his detailed understanding of modern communication ecosystems.

Wajinie Mahanama, Associate Vice President & Client Services Director at MullenLowe Sri Lanka, represents the client service and relationship management angle. She knows what clients value, how agencies deliver impact, and what it takes to sustain partnerships. Entries that show strong alignment between client objectives and creative outputs will stand out in her evaluation.

Dolan Bastya, Sr. General Manager & Head Commercial Excellence – Asia Pacific at Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd., brings a strong commercial and regional operations perspective. She is positioned to judge how campaigns contribute to market growth, commercial performance, and regional scalability. For brands competing across multiple Asian markets, her view on commercial excellence will be critical.

Sonali Brahma, Brand Strategist and Creative Consultant, embodies the intersection of strategy and creativity. She can evaluate how clearly a brand idea is defined, how consistently it is executed across touchpoints, and whether the creative work genuinely supports strategic objectives. For entries with strong storytelling and positioning, her insights will be key.

The value of this jury lies in its balance. Some members are rooted in creative and communication disciplines, while others bring expertise in digital strategy, consulting, people management, branding, and commercial performance. This ensures that entries are viewed through a broad framework reflecting modern business realities.

For participants, winning or being shortlisted at ACEF Asian Leaders represents more than a trophy moment. It provides meaningful validation from an accomplished panel that understands the demands of today’s competitive marketplace. Recognition can strengthen organizational reputation, motivate teams, and highlight impactful work across the region.

As November approaches, anticipation is building around the ACEF Asian Leaders Conference & Awards 2026. With a respected jury, strong industry support, and a focus on leadership, innovation, and measurable impact, the event is shaping up to be one of Asia’s closely watched recognition platforms of the year.