Keep moving ahead and go the distance: Apollo Tyres' Abhineet Kothari 

Abhineet Kothari, Marketing Head, India & SE Asia, Apollo Tyres, was awarded 'The CMO Digital Marketing Award' at the Pitch CMO Summit 2026.

At the Pitch CMO Summit 2026, co-presented by Snapchat and Samsung Ads and held in Mumbai on March 12, Abhineet Kothari, Marketing Head for India and Southeast Asia at Apollo Tyres, was presented with 'The CMO Digital Marketing Award'. 

This award recognises a marketer for exceptional skills in reshaping user intent and fostering brand loyalty through strategic and impactful digital marketing campaigns, with an emphasis on the adept use of content and data-driven marketing approaches.

Receiving the award, Kothari acknowledged the teams and agency partners who he said make achievements like this possible. He also drew attention to Apollo Tyres' ongoing association with Indian cricket, referring to the brand's support for Team India as a proud milestone. Echoing sentiments expressed by Dr Annurag Batra during the summit, he extended his wishes to fellow marketers in the room to "keep moving ahead and go the distance" — a phrase that also doubles as an Apollo Tyres brand expression.

Kothari brings nearly two decades of cross-industry marketing experience to his current role. His professional journey began at Shell Shipping, followed by a stint at the Kellogg Company. He then joined Castrol, where he rose through the ranks over nearly nine years, taking on responsibilities across brand management, regional sales, and category leadership. He subsequently served as AVP – Payments at Paytm, where he led the profit and loss for the Recharge and Bill Payments business. He joined Apollo Tyres in April 2024 and was elevated to Marketing Head for India and Southeast Asia in July 2025. Kothari holds an MBA from MDI Gurgaon.

The Pitch CMO Awards 2026 honoured the best marketing professionals in India, recognising them for their innovative, creative, and collaborative efforts throughout 2025. The annual summit and awards ceremony serve as a flagship platform of the exchange4media Group, bringing together marketing and technology leaders of Indian and multinational companies.