MUMBAI, INDIA // Josy Paul is one of the most awarded and influential creative leaders in India, celebrated for redefining advertising through acts that inspire real cultural change. He co-founded BBDO India in 2008 from the backseat of his car, introducing the philosophy of “Create acts, not ads.” Under his leadership, BBDO India has created some of the world’s most impactful work – including Ariel’s ‘Share The Load’, Whisper’s ‘Touch The Pickle’, Gillette ‘Women Against Lazy Stubble’, Mirinda ‘Release The Pressure and Visa’s ‘Kindness Is Cashless’ – campaigns that have sparked global conversations around equality, inclusion and mental health.
His work has won over 25 Cannes Lions, including the Grand Prix and multiple Golds. Ariel ‘Share The Load’ was ranked the World’s Most Effective Campaign by WARC twice in a row and remains a benchmark for long-term brand building and marketing.

Josy’s creative vision has also been recognized with several Clio Awards, Cannes Lions Grand Prix and Golds, D&AD Yellow and White Pencils, the Creative Agency Head of the Year (IAA 2016), and repeated wins as Campaign’s Creative Person of the Year for South Asia (2013, 2015, 2016, 2025). In 2023, Campaign honoured him as Asia-Pacific Creative Leader of the Year, and he was inducted into the Advertising Club Calcutta Hall of Fame (2020).

A respected global voice in creative leadership, Josy has served as Jury President at Cannes Lions 2025 (SDG Category), Jury President at D&AD (2017), Spikes Asia (2014 & 2019), and Dubai Lynx (2022), as well as jury member for Clio Awards, the Glass Lions (2016) and Creative Strategy Lions (2023) at Cannes.
Josy’s work reflects his mantra ‘Content is King, Context is King Kong’. Across three decades, he has consistently advanced the role of creativity as a force for good, inspiring generations of advertisers to think deeper, act bolder, and create with purpose.