Beyond Automation: Nabajit Nath on Premium Advertising, AI and Kargo’s Growth Journey in India

In our latest edition of Media Mohalla Change Makers, we speak with Nabajit Nath, Sales Director – India at Kargo, about the evolving digital advertising landscape, the growing influence of AI, and the importance of premium, outcome-driven advertising experiences.

With extensive experience in digital advertising and adtech, Nabajit has been instrumental in strengthening Kargo’s presence in India, building strategic relationships with brands and agencies, and driving opportunities across mobile, connected TV (CTV), and programmatic advertising.

As he completes two years at Kargo, Nabajit reflects on his leadership journey, key industry shifts, emerging innovations, and his vision for the next phase of growth in India’s dynamic advertising ecosystem.

1. Kargo has built a strong reputation around premium omnichannel advertising experiences. In an ecosystem increasingly driven by automation and AI, how do you see the balance between premium creativity and performance evolving for brands?

They’re no longer opposites. AI and automation make buying efficient, but people still respond to great experiences. A well-crafted ad in a premium, attention-rich environment builds the brand and drives results together. I’m grateful to the agencies and brands in India who have been open to trying high-impact formats with us.

2. With the rapid adoption of AI-powered advertising and contextual intelligence, what shifts are you witnessing in how marketers are approaching audience engagement, media planning, and campaign optimization?

Marketers are moving from targeting audiences to understanding moments. Contextual intelligence helps brands show up when people are most receptive, and planning and optimisation are becoming faster and closer to real time. Quality and attention are now part of the conversation, not just reach. Thank you to our agency partners for pushing us with these questions.

3. As Sales Director for India at Kargo, what are the biggest opportunities you see for brands in leveraging CTV, mobile, retail media, and programmatic advertising as part of a unified omnichannel strategy?

India is mobile-first and CTV is growing fast. The opportunity is to tell one story across the big screen, the phone and the point of purchase. Retail media closes the loop on sales, and programmatic makes it efficient at scale.

4. Kargo has been actively embracing innovations around AI, dynamic creative optimization, and premium ad experiences. Which emerging adtech innovations do you believe will have the biggest impact on marketers over the next three to five years?

Three things stand out: AI-driven creative that adapts to context in real time, privacy-first targeting and measurement through clean rooms and first-party data, and shoppable, interactive formats on CTV and mobile. Innovation only matters if it improves the consumer experience and the brand’s result. Thanks to Kargo’s global teams and the APAC leadership for working tirelessly in bringing these ideas to India.

5. Having worked across leading organizations in digital advertising and adtech, what leadership principles have helped you build strong client partnerships while navigating an industry that’s constantly evolving?

Listen first, be honest, keep your promises and stay humble. Clients and agencies tell you what they need if you let them, and this industry changes too fast for anyone to have all the answers. I’m thankful to the clients, agencies and colleagues who have taught me so much.

6. As you complete two years at Kargo, how would you reflect on your journey so far? What have been some of the most defining experiences, key milestones, and learnings that have shaped your professional growth and leadership approach during this period?

A humbling and rewarding two years!

Building Kargo’s presence in India has been an incredibly meaningful journey. Representing a brand that commands immense respect among brands and agencies globally comes with a responsibility I don’t take lightly.

I’m grateful for the learnings, the tough moments, and the wins along the way. A big thank you to our APAC and US leadership for believing in India, investing in the market, and trusting me to shape our go-to-market strategy and business plans.

Still a lot to build, and that’s the exciting part.

7. Over the past two years, you have witnessed Kargo’s evolution in India’s dynamic digital advertising landscape. What are you most proud of accomplishing during your tenure, and what excites you most about the next chapter of your journey with Kargo?

I’m proudest of the team and the relationships we’ve built, and I thank every client and agency who believed in us as a newer name in the market. Next, I’m excited about growing our CTV and Mobile offerings, our exclusive partnerships, adding regional capabilities and helping brands value premium, outcome-driven advertising. Thank you to everyone at Kargo who made this possible.

Closing note: Thank you to Media Mohalla for the opportunity, and to the clients, agencies and colleagues who make this work possible. India is full of potential, and I’m grateful to be part of its growth.