Kathmandu, December 6, 2025 – The Himalayan Times BrandFest 2025 concluded on Thursday after two days of powerful discussions emphasizing the irreplaceable role of human empathy and courage in an age increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence.
The summit at Royal Tulip Kathmandu Gwarko brought together eight international speakers and leading Nepali experts to explore “Branding in the Age of Belonging,” drawing branding professionals, marketers, and entrepreneurs eager to elevate Nepal’s marketing standards.
Linzi Boyd, founder of One Earth Platform and author of Brand Famous from the United Kingdom, set the tone with her opening keynote, urging brands to “architect a new world” grounded in purpose. Preetesh Sewraj, CEO of The Loeries from South Africa, challenged Nepali brands to embrace risk-taking. “Be brave, take risks. A lot of brands are just scared to experiment with their customers and chat to them in a very human way,” he said.
Mohammad Akrum Hossain, Chief Creative Officer of POP5 from Bangladesh, spoke on how underdog nations build purpose-driven brands, while Kandeban Balendran, founder of Miami Ad School Sri Lanka and Maldives, urged participants to realize their truest potential. Ritu Pradhan Malla from NIBL Equity Partners presented on rebranding Nepal as an investment destination.
The second day featured Ronita Mukerjee from Landor India with her provocative presentation “AI can Imitate. It Can’t Imagine,” exploring the five fundamentals of originality. Sheila Berman from Brenntag Singapore emphasized data management as the foundation for brand building, creating a memorable moment when she had the audience sing a jingle together.
Jupiter Huidrom from Weber Shandwick Singapore stressed understanding communities driven by passion, while Suhayl Limbada, CMO of KFC Thailand, delivered the summit’s final message: “Courage is a genuine superpower. Big ideas make big business impact.”
Reflecting on the summit, Limbada noted: “Every single speaker spoke about being human first. If you show up as a human and understand human behaviour, the rest is history.”
The event concluded with Managing Director of The Himalayan Times Ravin Lama showcasing the Cannes Lions Film 2025 Winners Showreel following the vote of thanks.
As attendees departed for refreshments, the two-day exploration of “Branding in the Age of Belonging” left a clear message: in an increasingly digital world, the brands that will thrive are those that remain courageously human, purposeful, and deeply connected to the communities they serve.
