2026 Virtual Coaches
Praful Akali
Founder & Managing Director
Medulla Communications
Mumbai
Praful Akali, Founder & Managing Director, Medulla Communications
Praful is one of the most awarded healthcare advertising folks in the industry today. He founded Medulla in 2008, and under his leadership, the agency was recognized as the Healthcare Advertising Agency of The Year at Cannes Lions in 2016 and the #4 Most Effective Independent Agency (globally) in 2019 by Effies. This mix of creativity and marketing effectiveness comes from a deep focus on customer insights and is a constant focus of his work.
Praful's early career was spent on the client side after completing his management studies at IIM Lucknow, last heading Marketing for Pfizer's Consumer Healthcare portfolio in 2008, on brands like Gelusil, Benadryl, and the like.
Praful has served on juries at prestigious award shows like Cannes Lions, LIA, Clio, OneShow, New York Festivals, and even Effies and chaired the healthcare jury for GoaFest (India’s leading creative awards) for two years in a row, in May 2024 and May 2025.