Spikes Asia 2025: Ashish Chakravarty and Kainaz Karmakar named jury presidents from India

New Delhi: Spikes Asia has revealed its 2025 jury president line-up. 

From India, Ashish Chakravarty, Executive Director & India Head of Creative, McCann Worldgroup and Kainaz Karmakar, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy, India, have been chosen as jury presidents. 

Chakravarty has been named Jury President for Audio & Radio, Film, Print & Publishing, while Karmakar has been appointed Jury President for Design and Industry Craft.

In-person judging will be held in Vietnam, in March 2025, culminating in the live awards ceremony in Singapore next April.

The 2025 jury president line-up includes representation from Australia, Mainland China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand, and for the first time, a Thailand-based agency. 

Damisa Ongsiriwattana, CCO and Founder, SOUR Bangkok, who will preside over the Entertainment, Gaming and Music Jury, said, "I am honoured to serve as the Jury President for Entertainment, Gaming, and Music at Spikes Asia this year. In a region as dynamic and diverse as Asia, the power of storytelling through entertainment, gaming, and music continues to break new ground. I look forward to working with the Jury to celebrate the exceptional creativity that pushes boundaries and connects with audiences meaningfully."

The Spikes Asia 2025 Jury Presidents have been named as:

Audio & Radio, Film, Print & Publishing

Ashish Chakravarty, Executive Director & India Head of Creative, McCann Worldgroup, India

Brand Experience & Activation, Creative Commerce

Gary Steele, Chief Creative Officer, DDB New Zealand, Aotearoa New Zealand

Creative Data, Innovation

Julie Jihyun Kang, CEO and Managing Partner, Serviceplan Korea, South Korea

Creative Effectiveness, Creative Strategy

Lindsey Evans, Global Partner and CEO Special Australia, Special Group, Global

Design, Industry Craft

Kainaz Karmakar, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy, India

Digital Craft, Social & Influencer

Kazuhiro Shimura, Group Creative Director, Dentsu Inc., Japan

Direct, Outdoor

Ronnie Wu, Chief Creative Officer, TBWA\China, Mainland China

Entertainment, Gaming, Music

Damisa Ongsiriwattana, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder, SOUR Bangkok, Thailand

Film Craft

Declan Cahill, Managing Director, Exit Films, Aotearoa New Zealand

Healthcare

Shunsuke Kakinami, CEO and Creative Director, FOUR FEET Inc., Japan

Media

Helen McRae, Chief Growth and Marketing Officer, GroupM Asia Pacific, APAC

PR

Margaret Key, CEO, MSL APAC and Global Lead on Samsung, Publicis Groupe, Global

Commenting on the jury president line-up, Mandy Neo, Director, Spikes Asia, said, “We are thrilled to announce the esteemed jury presidents for Spikes Asia 2025. These creative leaders represent the best of the best in their respective fields, bringing a wealth of experience, vision, and passion to the judging process. Their leadership will ensure that the work celebrated at Spikes Asia reflects the highest standards of creativity and innovation in the region. As always, our goal is to showcase the incredible talent within Asia-Pacific and continue to inspire the next generation of creative thinkers and doers.”

Simon Cook, CEO, Lions, added, “We’re excited to announce the Jury Presidents for Spikes Asia 2025. Each of these extraordinary leaders has pushed the boundaries of creativity and innovation within their fields, and we thank them for their perspectives, expertise and experience—and the leadership they will bring to the very important task ahead of them. Their vision and passion will ensure that Spikes Asia continues to be a platform that celebrates the very best work from across the region, inspiring and shaping the future of the creative industry in Asia-Pacific and beyond. We look forward to seeing them in action in Vietnam next year.”

Entries into Spikes Asia are being accepted until January 28, 2025.