Kedar Ravangave decodes ‘Do the X’, the theme for OAC’s 20th edition

Setting the context for the 20th OOH Advertising Convention, themed ‘Do the X’, Kedar Ravangave, AI & Business Transformation Leader, delivered an engaging presentation, adding an insightful edge to the start of OAC 2026. “There is AI, there is sustainability, and there are geo-macroeconomic shifts. While we navigate all of this, we’ve tried to narrow it down to what is relevant to us and that’s really what the theme is: Do the X.”

He began by asking “What is your X?” While some may already know the answer, he suggested that the real purpose of the two-day convention is to help the eco-system to discover it through new perspectives.

From specialists to orchestrators

Kedar highlighted how the idea of leadership had changed over the last decade. Earlier, being a specialist and having deep expertise in one area was considered the biggest differentiator. However, today’s leaders need to go beyond their own expertise and learn how to connect different capabilities, ideas and industries, he emphasised.

“It is not just about how much you know that is important. It is about whether you are able to orchestrate what you specialise in, with many other dimensions,” he explained.

According to him, the biggest shift is that businesses are no longer operating in isolated spaces. The winners are those who can build ecosystems and create meaningful connections across different areas. Taking examples of companies like Amazon, Apple and Spotify, Kedar explained that their success did not come only from being experts in their respective categories. Their strength came from bringing together multiple capabilities and building ecosystems around them.

“It is no more about companies or people working in their own zones. It is the ecosystem that everyone is competing with,” he said, adding that disruption often comes from unexpected places and industries.

The power of intersections

According to Kedar, today’s best innovations emerge where different worlds meet. GPS combined astronomy with transportation, vaccines brought together genetics and pharmacology, while the iPhone merged computing, communication and music. These breakthroughs are all about meaningful intersections.

He also urged the audience to move beyond the “versus” thinking, reiterating the need for convergence rather than ‘silos’ . “Versus is the world enemy,” he said. “Brand versus performance, creativity versus data, human versus AI – these debates are meaningless today. They all need to be seen together,” Kedar said, reiterating the ‘intersection’ aspect of the theme, represented visually by ‘X’ .

AI doesn’t replace people

Addressing one of today’s biggest concerns, especially with AI becoming an indispensable part of the business eco-systems, Kedar said on a reassuring note, “Technology doesn’t replace humans. The moment you isolate yourself from it is when you will become obsolete,” he said, encouraging everyone to see AI as a collaborator rather than a competitor.

Diving right into the crux of theme, Kedar said, “Everyone here today is trying to answer a version of the same question – How does AI expand my X? How do cities shape my X? How does creativity express my X? How does trust multiply my X?”

Kedar left the audience with three simple takeaways – Find your X, Build your X and Be your X. He encouraged everyone to discover their own “X” factor. “Go talk to people, explore, and find your own ways to define your X,” he summed up.