Sumit Kumar and Kareena Batija win Portfolio Night 2025

Sumit Kumar and Kareena Batija emerged as winners of Portfolio Night 2025, with Kumar taking the in-person Mumbai edition and Batija topping the virtual pan-India competition.

The event, successfully concluded by The One Club for Creativity in collaboration with BBDO India, DDB Mudra Group, and TBWA\India, continues to serve as a premier platform connecting emerging creatives with India’s leading industry leaders.

Both will now advance to the prestigious global Portfolio Night All-Stars program, where they will collaborate internationally on a live brief from this year’s global sponsor, Google, and ultimately compete for an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City to present their campaign at Creative Week 2026.

The 2025 edition set a new record, with registrations filling up 72 hours ahead of the deadline. Over 115 emerging creatives attended for one-on-one portfolio reviews, showcasing work across design, planning, direction, content writing, and more. Thirty-five top-tier jurors dedicated their time on October 6 (Virtual) and October 7 (In-Person, Mumbai) to mentor participants and identify the industry’s future talent.

The Mumbai edition began with an inspiring address by Josy Paul, Chairperson & CCO, BBDO India, who encouraged young creatives to stand out. “We don’t need you to fit in — we need you to stand out. To make us uncomfortable. Challenge us. Shake us. Make us see the world through your eyes. We don’t need replicas of what’s been done. We need sparks. We need your light. We need your truth,” he said.

Rahul Mathew, CCO, DDB Mudra Group, reflected on the initiative, saying, “Portfolio evening has been a long-standing partnership between Omnicom and One Club. And it’s a reflection of our belief that talent is the only real asset we have as an industry. We’re always grateful to all the CCOs who turn up every year to support this initiative. This is about us spotting, encouraging and giving the next generation of talent the opportunities or even belief that they deserve.”

Russell Barrett, Chief Creative Experience Officer, TBWA\ India, added, “It is always amazing to engage and interact with the next generation of creative talent. In an age of generative AI and mass-produced creativity, Portfolio Night is the best opportunity for us to interact with the raw and pure talent of these young creatives.