Dear Members,
Our recent 2024 Annual General Meeting, graciously hosted by LinkedIn at their APAC headquarters in Singapore. The agenda was packed with updates and insights, including our Association’s progress, engaging panel discussions featuring our Regional Board members, and an interactive voting session where attendees influenced our future initiatives.
As the chinese proverb says, 立足当下，着眼未来, stand firmly in the present and focus on the future. This region is the most exciting in the world. We are at the epicentre of digital revolution and transformation, at the nexus of East and West. With so much untapped potential, we aren’t just responding to regulation or repeating legacy – we’re creating solutions as we go, offering once-in-a-lifetime career opportunities.
Key Highlights:
- Increasing Trust – Our Responsible Privacy Council, led by Regional Board member Vidyarth (Vid) Eluppai Srivatsan (The Coca-Cola Company), is developing SIMPRI, a tool to simplify privacy frameworks across the region. Vid noted,
“It is not easy in a region such as Southeast Asia and India, but add the layer of making it delightful for consumers – this is a problem worth solving.”
- Equitable Education – Regional Board member Deepika Nikhilender (GroupM Nexus) shared plans for industry-wide certifications we are creating with the support of our IAB Academy Council. She emphasised,
“We need to have inclusivity at the heart of it and plan to democratise the way which the academy will render itself. We want to give this learning portal to everybody’s hands.”
- Retail Media Evolution – Abhinav Mehra (Grab) from our Retail Media Council presented insights on their upcoming whitepaper, stating,
“We wanted to be that catalyst who can start building that bridge. It will take time, but we thought that it was the right thing to do to ensure that we’re able to move all this interest into actual marketing dollars.”
- Creating Connections – Our Tiffin Time networking events have facilitated over 120 meaningful connections. Regional Board member Rose Huskey (The Trade Desk) emphasised,
“Tiffin Time is definitely for me where I get the most out of just meeting people. You get to hear from different leaders on things that are impacting the industry, that’s impacting our business.”
- Global Recognition – With 3.2 million content views, we’ve solidified our position as the go-to source for insights on Southeast Asia and India’s digital landscape. To meet the global demand for credible regional intelligence, we conducted original research into consumer privacy, representation in advertising, and retail media, with these reports downloaded hundreds of thousands of times. Our exclusive partnership with WARC and new “Meet our Members” content series are designed to amplify the voices of our region’s thought leaders to a global audience. As Regional Board member Sapna Nemani (Publicis Groupe) noted,
“Southeast Asia and India is the hotbed of innovation that everybody in the West honestly does not know what’s going on and wants to learn.” Our growing global recognition is opening new doors for our members, positioning them at the forefront of the global digital conversation.”
Have Your Say: Live Voting Results
A highlight of our AGM was the live voting session, where members directly influenced our future focus. From potential themes for a new Innovation Day event, to new council topics for 2025, your input was invaluable. These results will directly shape our initiatives for the coming year, ensuring we address the most pressing needs of our industry. This member-driven approach is central to our mission of collective progress and responsible growth.
The Value of IAB SEA+India Membership
Regional Board member Catherine Flynn (LinkedIn) beautifully captured the essence of our community:
“If you want to make a difference somewhere, shape the industry, shape the topics that you’re interested in – this is a great place to be more involved. You’ll get the network from that, you’ll get all of those opportunities, but really start if you want to be more involved.”
Tawana Murphy Burnett (Meta) highlighted the unique value of IAB SEA+India:
“Sometimes when you’re in the walls of your own company, you forget that there’s a whole other world out there and it’s helpful to have perspective on something like social commerce, on DEI, and to be able to do that with peer and member companies.”
As we look towards 2025, we remain committed to being the catalyst for digital transformation, the voice of reason in government discussions, and the platform where the industry’s brightest minds converge to shape our collective future.
For those who couldn’t join us, you were missed. The day concluded with a networking session over drinks and dimsum, nurturing the connections that drive our industry forward. I hope this letter gives you a taste of the passion and insights shared at the AGM and inspires you to get even more involved.
IAB SEA+India is your essential partner and we want to help you maximise your membership benefits in the coming year and leverage our initiatives to achieve your goals. Email hello@iabseaindia.com to receive our member guide which is packed full of details on how to connect and contribute, or reach out to me any time.
Together, we can shape the digital frontier of Southeast Asia and India.
Kind regards,
Miranda
