Champion communicator

Media and corporate communications veteran Pheroza Bilimoria was honored with the Champions Award at a black tie event in London on October 3, 2013 on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the International Advertising Association (IAA). She was one of the two awardees from the IAA India chapter, the other being Pradeep Guha, chief executive officer, 9XM. "It is through the contribution of these Champions, who have especially promoted the association over many years that we have been able to build the IAA into the globally connected force we are in the industry today,” stated Faris Abouhamed, chairman and world president of the IAA.

Bilimoria’s association with the IAA began 20 years ago when she was asked to join the IAA-India chapter’s managing committee. She was soon elevated to the post of president and later asked to represent the chapter on the world IAA board. "I must have cut a favorable impression when I joined the world board because before I knew it the IAA leadership nominated me to be one of the vice presidents at the world board level,” Bilimoria is quoted in Business India, October 14-27, 2013. Declining the position of senior vice president (which would have meant automatic elevation to president after two years), Bilimoria stated that she knew she wouldn’t be able to "give the time and attention the position requires, given I had a full-time and rather demanding job at Business India.” Bilimoria joined Business India in the 1970s looking after advertising and marketing. She also set up the Exhibitions Division and the cable TV business for the group. She was also the first woman president of the Advertising Club of Bombay and president of the Advertising Standards Council of India. "I am very happy that two veterans who have played significant roles in not just building up the IAA but also the industry as a whole have been rightly honored on a global platform,” stated Srinivasan Swamy, president of the India chapter.