Marking a defining milestone in India’s booming Influencer Marketing industry, the India Influencer Governing Council (IIGC) was officially launched at The Leela Ambience, Gurgaon, on February 15, 2025. The council held its inaugural meet, announcing its founding members and advisory board, comprising industry stalwarts, brand shapers and leading influencers across genres.

Taking the chairman’s seat, Sahil Chopra, Founder & CEO, iCubesWire, was followed by the founding leadership team, Rajeev Makhni, India’s Gadget Guru & Tech Influencer, Anurita Chopra, Chief Marketing Officer, Haleon, Deepali Naair, Group CMO, CK Birla Group, Nitin Sethi, Chief Digital Officer, Adani, and Hari Krishnan, Managing Director, Content & Groupe Marcomm, Publicis Groupe, as discussed the need of the hour in the world of Influencer Marketing.

Influencer marketing as an industry has sustained its momentum and is expected to surpass Rs. 3,375 crore (US$ 404.82 million) by 2026. As the industry reaches this colossal scale, challenges around transparency, promotions and regulatory uncertainty have taken the center stage. This is where IIGC aims to come into play by setting up clear industry guidelines, advocating influencer rights and promoting responsible content creation. IIGC will take a consumer-first approach in content moderation to curb the spread of misinformation and ensure credibility. It will also address issues such as unfair compensation and transparency in brand collaborations for creators. For brands, IIGC aims to build responsible marketing practices that give more importance to authenticity over mere reach. IIGC will work alongside the government to bridge the gap between consumers, influencers, brands, agencies and platforms, ensuring compliance while driving innovation in influencer marketing.

Commenting on the launch, Sahil Chopra, Founder & CEO, iCubesWire, said, “It’s an honor and privilege to chair such a large council with 65 board advisors and be part of something this phenomenal. The need for a governing structure and guidelines around the madness is a must. IIGC is a stage where one starts addressing where the industry is headed. With more than 65 board advisors from various industries, IIGC will empower creators, consumers, and brands.”

IIGC has been further structured into seven different pods, including, agencies, banking & finance, consumer durables, CPG, Creators, Fashion & lifestyle and Mobile & technology, to ensure industry-led insights shape its guidelines. With brand-heavy marketeers on the board, like Swiggy, Maruti Suzuki, Campus, Perfetti, Nestlé, Bata, Parle, LT Foods, Taco Bell, Hero, MRF, Disney+ Hotstar, PepsiCo, Philips, Reckitt, Spotify, Samsung, and more are actively involved.

Taking the stage, Rajeev Makhni, India’s Gadget Guru & Tech Influencer, said, “Influencer marketing is a big market, but it must be governed. When an influencer promotes everything, all credibility is lost. Everyone seems to love everything. But the audience isn’t foolish, which is why some influencers have lost numbers. IIGC aims to reinstate credibility in this space. The goal is big, and I hope we achieve it.”

Bringing her valuable insights, Anurita Chopra, Chief Marketing Officer, Haleon, added, “IIGC is a step forward in the entire space of influencer marketing. It has mushroomed and boomeranged into something much bigger than what any of us could have envisaged. With this council in place, let’s reinstate that efficacy comes from trusted sources, as well as the credibility of who is saying what, and to whom.”

Welcoming 65+ board advisors across influencers and brand leaders from various industries, IIGC will ensure influencer voices are at the heart of policy making. Some of the big names added to the board are, Vishnu Kaushal, Harpreet Suri, RJ Ashish, Falguni Vasawada, and many more.

Putting the influencer story forward, Harpreet Suri, said, “Thinking back on my journey, eight years ago, I had no one to tell me what was right or wrong, no brands, no agencies. It all started with a thought, why not show how to live as a mother, guilt-free? Today, ‘mom’ as a category is winning awards and making an impact. IIGC will open up the creator economy for more people. Brands have their stories, and we have ours. The council will help clear the path for the younger generation to tell their stories.”

Voicing his thoughts, RJ Ashish, added, “It’s a massive responsibility. Social media is a vast space and streamlining pools of content is a huge task. The guidelines to be set are very, very important. IIGC is a great initiative. In this vast sea of content and content creation, there will now be someone to show the way.”

Following its successful launch meet, the IIGC team is set to bring real change to the way the influencer marketing industry functions. By inviting brands, agencies, and influencers to contribute to the framework of IIGC, a collaborative influencer ecosystem will emerge. The next meet-up is planned for April 12 in Mumbai, where industry leaders will come together to set new benchmarks and shape the future of influencer marketing.