The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has nominated Sandeep Goyal, Chairman of Rediffusion and Everest, and Kartik Sharma, CEO of Omnicom Media India, to the board of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India.
The nominations follow Goyal's recent election as President of AAAI. Following the leadership change, the association reversed its earlier nomination of Srinivasan Swamy to the BARC board.
The development brings two senior advertising and media executives into the association's representation on India's television audience measurement body, which plays a role in providing viewership data used by broadcasters, advertisers and media agencies.
Goyal has more than four decades of experience across advertising, media, marketing and corporate management. He currently serves as Chairman of Rediffusion and Everest, two independent advertising agencies operating in India.
Over the course of his career, he has held senior positions across several advertising networks, including HTA, Trikaya Grey, DDB Mudra, Rediffusion Dentsu and Young & Rubicam.
He previously served as Group CEO of Zee Telefilms and was associated with Dentsu's operations in India and the Middle East as a joint venture partner and Chairman.
Beyond his advertising career, Goyal has chaired Snapchat's India Advisory Board and served as Principal Secretary in the Punjab government for three years.
He holds an MBA, PhD and DLitt and has authored ten books, alongside contributing columns and commentary to business publications.
Sharma brings more than 30 years of experience in media strategy, communication planning, behavioural economics, analytics and technology.
As CEO of Omnicom Media India, he has been involved in managing the network's business operations and developing its media planning and measurement capabilities.
Sharma is already associated with several industry organisations. He currently serves on the AAAI Board and is a member of BARC India's Disciplinary Committee.
He also sits on the Board of Governors of the Media Research Users Council India (MRUCI), an industry organisation involved in media research and readership measurement.
His previous professional responsibilities include positions at TAM Media Research and the Indian Readership Survey, providing him with experience across audience measurement and media research.
Sharma was named IAA Media Influencer of the Year in 2026 and received the exchange4media Influencer of the Year award in 2025.
BARC India operates within an industry framework that brings together broadcasters, advertising agencies and advertisers to support television audience measurement.
The data generated through television audience measurement is used by media agencies and advertisers for campaign planning, audience evaluation and advertising investment decisions.
The nominations come as audience measurement continues to remain an important component of media planning, particularly for agencies working across television and other advertising platforms.
With Goyal and Sharma nominated to the board, AAAI will be represented by executives with experience spanning agency management, media analytics, advertising strategy and audience measurement.
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