Darren Seddon is a Manchester-born creative who has lived and worked across Mauritius, Johannesburg, Sydney and Melbourne, bringing over 20 years of international advertising experience to every project. He has worked with both multinational and independent agencies across mainstream and healthcare, in full-time and freelance roles. For the past 12 years, Darren has run his own creative company, The Cornershop, partnering closely with major clients in the agricultural machinery sector. The agency is recognised for bright ideas, standout visual execution, and a hands-on creative approach. Darren’s skill set spans brand strategy, print, digital, TV, app development, direct mail, design, and AI art direction. His work has been awarded and recognised locally and internationally, and he has served as a judge across both mainstream and healthcare award shows.

Raya Abujaber is a Creative Director based in Amman, Jordan, with over 10 years of experience in advertising and brand building. She has spent the past 9 years at JWT (VML) Amman, leading creative teams and working across local, regional, and global brands. Raya’s work spans integrated campaigns, brand identities, and experiential ideas, with a strong focus on craft, cultural relevance, and strategic thinking. Her projects have been recognized regionally and globally, bringing several firsts for Jordan and helping elevate the country’s creative presence on the global stage. As a female creative leader in a traditionally male-dominated industry, Raya is passionate about creating space for women’s voices, mentoring young talent, and contributing to a more inclusive and progressive creative culture.

Molly Adler is SVP, Group Creative Director at Arnold Worldwide, where she leads creative strategy on major accounts including PNC Bank. An art director by trade, she brings more than 20 years of experience working with brands like Google, Apple, Mars, FedEx, and The New York Times across agencies including BBDO NY, BBH NY, Fallon, and Google Creative Lab. Her work has been recognized by Cannes, D&AD, One Show, Adweek, and Business Insider, and she is known for her hands-on approach to leading teams.

Chilean creative experience in advertising industry. Currently playing as creative director at Porta SCL. I've worked as art director in Young & Rubicam, BBK One and Berlin SCL. I've worked for regional and local clients such as Greenpeace, Amnesty International, Unimarc, Exeed & Chery Motors, Loto, El Desconcierto, Banco Security, Gobierno de Chile, TVN, Esprit, Viñamar and Orizon among others. My work has been awarded and highlighted by Ojo de Iberoamérica, Effie Latam, WINA, PHNX, Madstars, Effie Chile and Achap. I've been in jury duty in New York Festival Health Awards, Madstars, AdForum PHNX & Bendita Carpeta.

I am a marketing effectiveness and AI strategy expert and former Head of Marketing, specializing in evaluating advertising and commercial performance through creativity, strategy, technology, and measurable impact. I am the author of multiple peer-reviewed research articles published in national academic journals, focused on marketing, data-driven decision-making, and AI applications in marketing. I serve as a confirmed jury member for leading international awards in 2025–2026, including Armenia Digital Awards (2024, 2025), AdForum PHNX 2026, CX World Awards. I am a recipient of ECDMA Awards 2025 and NBA 2025 Best Digital Marketing (National Business Awards). I am also a member of the International E-Commerce & Digital Marketing Association (ECDMA) and a regular jury participant in technology and marketing hackathons focused on innovation and applied AI.

Diana Akchurina is a marketing communications and organic growth strategist for tech companies and a former founder and CEO of Easy Communications, an agency focused on B2B and consumer tech brands. She specializes in building cost-efficient PR, content, and influencer strategies that turn complex technology into clear, compelling stories with measurable business impact. Diana is the author of a book and course “Growth Ideas: How to Promote an IT Company Without a Budget,” where she systematizes practical frameworks for organic growth, thought leadership, and community-driven marketing. She also brings experience as a jury member for international awards. As a judge, she pays particular attention to the link between insight, creative idea, execution, and real business results, looking for work that is both strategically rigorous and genuinely impactful.

Nayla Alana is an Associate Creative Director at LePub Brazil. A brazilian with a strategic and culture-focused approach, she builds ideas designed to connect clearly and effectively with real audiences. With 15 years of experience, Nayla has worked at leading agencies including Zulu Alpha Kilo Toronto, Galeria, Ogilvy Brazil, J. Walter Thompson, and Sapient AG2. She has developed integrated campaigns for major global brands such as Heineken, Jeep, TikTok, Adidas, Kotex, Ford, Nestlé, Netflix, Bradesco, and Dove, moving across different markets and formats with a results-driven mindset. Nayla joins the New York Festivals jury, bringing an experienced, objective, and globally informed perspective.

Strategic and creative marketing professional blending storytelling with data. As a full-time Marketing Specialist on SAP’s Global Social Media team, I lead content creation, social amplification, and audience engagement initiatives that support one of the world’s top enterprise software companies. My experience also includes high-profile projects beyond tech, such as the 2023–2024 South by Southwest music festival and the Miami HEAT’s guest relations team during the 2022–2023 NBA season. ?? I hold a degree in Public Relations and Advertising with a certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from the University of South Florida, and an MBA in Digital and Strategic Marketing from Westcliff University. ????? Outside of work, you’ll often find me running, painting, practicing yoga and meditation, or adding a new mug to my growing collection. I’m passionate about fan engagement, creative content, and turning insights into campaigns that resonate.

Ray Ali is a multi-award winning Australian-born creative director and storyteller living in New York. His work spans advertising, content, long-form storytelling, even music videos for some of the world’s largest brands, often exploring the ways brands interact with culture and how audiences choose to engage with them.

Guillermo Aliaga is an Associate Creative Director at TBWA\Chiat\Day. Before that, he worked at Goodby Silverstein & Partners in San Francisco, creating campaigns for BMW, Doritos, and Lay’s. Earlier, he was part of Ogilvy Germany, collaborating across the European network—including INGO Hamburg and David Madrid—on work for Burger King, Deutsche Bahn, and Foodpanda. Originally from Buenos Aires, Guillermo also worked at DAVID, developing campaigns for Powerade, Aquarius, MACMA, among others. His ideas have been recognized by Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio Awards, LIA, New York Festivals, Adweek’s Top 100 Creatives, and the San Francisco Addys. He also won the Young Lions competition in Argentina, representing his country at Cannes 2014.

A German of Syrian descent, I moved to Saudi Arabia in 2010 to work as a Junior Copywriter at JWT Riyadh. While there, I wrote for the Saudi Telecom Company, Saudi Aramco, the Saudi British Bank, Shell, Flynas, the General Investment Authority, and Jarir Bookstores. After 9 years, I moved to TBWA/RAAD Dubai as a Senior Copywriter to ideate for the Louvre Abu Dhabi, du, KFC, and the UAE Government Media Office. In 2023, I continued at Saatchi & Saatchi Dubai as a Creative Director working on the region’s largest telco: e&. Since May 2024 to date, I’ve been creating work for Ferrero, McDonald’s, Heinz, and Nestle at Leo Burnett Dubai. All of the above led to industry recognitions from Dubai Lynx, MENA Effies, The Loeries and The Warc; as well as being a SIBI delegate in 2019 and a graduate of the first Cannes Lions Creative MBA.

Subbaraju Alluri, better known as Raju is an Integrated brand builder with 20+ years of experience in multiple categories across various regions and communication disciplines. Currently, as CEO of Tilt is responsible for driving growth and expansion across the region. Before which, at Genero, he lead the Asia operations, building truly borderless creative eco-system for brands through Technology. He advises brands faced with demanding creative challenges and changing media landscapes create powerful creative work. Prior to Genero Raju headed a number of Grey operations in the Asia region including stints as the CEO of Grey Group Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. He was winner of The Agency professional of the year - 2011 and Agency Head of the year 2014 at the Singapore Hall of fame awards show. Under Raju's leadership, Grey Group Singapore won the Agency of the year and Digital agency of the year at the Gong show Singapore in 2015. Within 12 months of taking over the duties at Grey Indonesia, The agency was awarded “ Creative agency of the year (Silver) at the Campaign Asia Awards in December 2018. Under Raju’s leadership Grey went on to win multiple Global, Regional and Local awards for creativity and effectiveness namely at Cannes, D&AD, Clio, One Show, Webby, Spikes Asia and many more.

Sergio Alonso is a New York–based creative director whose work reflects a global mindset and a love for the craft. His career has taken him to multiple countries across European and U.S. markets, where he has worked at some of the industry’s most respected agencies and networks, including Droga5, Wieden+Kennedy, Ogilvy, Saatchi & Saatchi, DDB, and Publicis. With over 15 years of experience, he has produced campaigns for iconic brands such as Apple, Toyota, Facebook, Samsung, Coca-Cola, Under Armour, Google, and Netflix, earning recognition at major international award shows: Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, ADC, and the ANDYs, to name a few.

Mahesh’s work is rooted in innovation and social impact, from iconic works like Savlon Healthy Hands Chalk Sticks and Killer Pack to breakthrough projects addressing real world challenges. A two time Grand Prix winner and recognized among the Top 100 creatives globally, his work bridges creativity with effectiveness. Beyond advertising, he spends his breaks volunteering at refugee camps worldwide and runs his own charity, Kadji, working to change the world one small step at a time.

Copywriter made in Apulia but Milanese by adoption, she graduated in Foreign Languages and Literature with a focus on communications and she pursued a master in copywriting at Accademia di Comunicazione. She began her advertising career in 2003 at Suite3 a little creative boutique, then moved to On Advertising, and in 2007 joined the WPP group at Grey Milano, which later became Grey Italia. Over the years, she worked as a copywriter for major clients such as Il Sole 24 ORE, BMW, MINI, Alitalia, Sky, Vodafone, Mediaset Infinity, P&G, Chicco, Greenpeace, envyTM, Save the Children, and many more. She has won several prestigious awards, including a Cannes Lions 2006 shortlist for Best Use of Media, Cristal Festival 2009 Media Cristal for Great Cause, PIAF 2011 Bronze for Pro Bono Advertising, and ADCI 2012 Silver for Social Advertising Integrated Campaign.

Angel Ang is a multi-hyphen Art Director that has an unwavering passion for the craft of storytelling and visual world-building, always dreaming of the next “what ifs.” Her approach to advertising and design is deeply rooted in a philosophical curiosity, constantly pushing the boundaries of conventional thinking for global brands like Amex and Samsung. When she’s not running point on a brand campaign or running marathons, she is uplifting and advocating for women-led initiatives and organizations in NYC with her work with the New York Women’s Foundation as a member and co-chair of ELN.

With over two decades of experience in earned communications, Graeme serves as Global Executive Creative Director at Axicom, Burson's dedicated technology agency. Transitioning from a robust background in consumer PR to the technology sector, he specialises in translating complex technical narratives into meaningful human stories that resonate beyond the industry bubble. His creative philosophy of 'Calculated Bravery' centres on developing ideas that make clients feel 'comfortably uncomfortable and pushing boundaries to deliver measurable business results. He has applied this vision to innovative brands including AMD, eBay, Honor, Nokia, and Sage, as well as consumer giants like Aldi, Burger King, Diet Coke and Heineken. Graeme remains dedicated to balancing strategic insight with creative courage to drive award-winning campaigns that transform how brands connect with their audiences.

Belén Aragón is an Associate Creative Director at BBDO New York. A Spanish-born art director with a global background, she has worked across Europe and the U.S., bringing a strong design-led approach to storytelling. Her work spans brands and institutions, including the Singapore Tourism Board, Mayo Clinic, WNBA, Pedigree, and Pepsi. Belén’s work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, The One Show, ANDYs, Effies, Shorty Awards, and New York Festivals. She combines craft, concept, and cultural insight to create work that is both impactful and relevant.

Nicolau Attallah is a creative with 16+ years of experience in advertising, currently working as EU Creative Director at WPP Studio X for The Coca-Cola Company. Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, and now based in Berlin, he has worked at agencies like Jung von Matt, Leo Burnett, and Cheil, collaborating with brands such as Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Adidas, Nike, Samsung, Opel, Fiat, Jeep, P&G, Kinder, Nutella, Disney. He also led a creative team at Trade Republic, Germany’s largest fintech, bringing a fresh perspective to financial communication. His work has been recognized at major industry festivals, but what drives him most is building meaningful connections between brands and people. Passionate about creativity and storytelling, Nicolau enjoys working with talented teams to craft ideas that leave a lasting impact.

Sandra Azedo is an internationally recognized PR & Communications leader in advertising, known for transforming creative ideas into global conversations. With over 20 years of experience, she has redefined the role of PR inside agencies, working closely with creative teams at every stage of the process to ensure campaigns resonate with culture, earn media attention, and drive long-term relevance. As Global PR Director at DAVID (WPP Group), Sandra oversees communications across North America, Latin America, and Europe, in a total of 7 offices (New York, Miami, London, São Paulo, Madrid, Buenos Aires, and Bogotá). During her 14 years at DAVID, an agency that she was a founder-member of, she has played a pivotal role in making the agency one of the most awarded in the world, with over 200 Cannes Lions, many of them recognizing excellence in PR. She has helped secure significant global recognition for campaigns for brands such as Burger King, Coca-Cola, Supercell, Google, Netflix, Kraft Heinz, Corona, and many others.

Karina’s a Senior Strategist at Quality Meats Creative, where she’s led work for Duke Cannon, United Airlines, Manscaped, and GoDaddy. Prior to QM, she worked across Taco Bell, Hulu, and H&R Block, building culturally sharp platforms that give brands a real role in people’s lives. Her work spans global 360 campaigns to social-first brand acts and has been recognized with a Cannes Grand Prix and a Jay Chiat Global Strategy Award.

Tatiana Bashmachnikova is a Creative Project Manager and Operations Lead with over 10 years of experience in brand communications and integrated campaigns across international markets. Based in Almaty, Kazakhstan, she currently serves as Group Account Director at McCann, overseeing creative development and production for large-scale projects. Her expertise spans strategy, content, and execution across TV, digital, social, OOH, and PR — including award-winning campaigns recognized by White Square, Red Apple, Silver Mercury, and E+ Central Asia. Tatiana has served on the juries of several international festivals, including the NYF Advertising Awards, PHNX by AdForum, MAD STARS, and others. She is passionate about ideas that fuse cultural relevance with measurable business impact.

Describing himself as a “right+left brain problem-solver”, Diego Basualdo has a wide-ranging multicultural and international background, spanning over 15 years and across a broad variety of markets and industries. As an Argentinian native, Diego cut his teeth in local Buenos Aires agencies, including McCann, before making the career leap to São Paulo, Brazil, honing his skills at Conspiração Filmes and Publicis, where his focus was on Latin American clients. After establishing himself in Madrid, Spain, he went on to head up the production department of some of the most important agencies in the market, including El Ruso de Rocky, and David The Agency guiding the latter to a myriad of national and international awards. These days, Diego has recently been exploring innovative ways of producing content in a number of diverse projects, using his expertise to harness close collaborations with agencies and companies such as Wieden & Kennedy, Nowness, Adidas and Netflix, among many others. In recent years he has participated as a Film Craft juror in renowned festivals such as New York Festivals, AICP and Berlin Commercial. For the past two years, he has been the Co-Managing Partner & EP at the globally renowned production company ICONOCLAST, the trailblazing creative production house with offices in 9 countries worldwide. Iconoclast is known for representing a roster of top-tier global directors such as Megaforce, Romain Gavras, The Blaze, Jonas Lindstroem, We Are From LA and Harmony Korine among others.

Sandra Baumander is a Creative Director at Publicis Toronto. With more than 15 years of experience, she has helped build and lead some of the country’s biggest brands including Canadian Tire, Dr. Oetker, WestJet, Mondelez, and Nestlé. Her work has been recognized at many local and international award shows, including Cannes Lions, One Show, Clios and New York Festivals.

Aleksandr Beaudoin is a commercial producer and independent director and writer based in New York City. His background in marketing and film publicity along with ongoing directorial passions allow for great understanding of both the logistical and creative sides to filmmaking, all of which drove him to first uncover the commercial side of production. Since 2022, Aleksandr has been producing a variety of work for Rise & Run (IPG), from broadcast spots to animated videos, radio, social, and more. Through his role he enjoys exploring the intersection of art and commerce and examining how the two continue to evolve in this shifting, global, media landscape. Outside of work, Aleksandr can be found developing independent narrative projects, traveling, learning about architecture, listening to music, and going to the cinema.

Tammy is an award-winning Senior Copywriter specialising in health and wellness. With two decades of experience in advertising and communications, she is known for her ability to combine “the art and the science” – pushing for creativity to challenge the status quo in healthcare. Previously Head of Copy at Ogilvy Healthworld Sydney, she now freelances for a diverse range of clients creating exceptional work that delivers results.

Marina Beldi is a globally recognized, award-winning SVP Group Creative Director with a track record of transforming ambitious ideas into culturally resonant, beautifully crafted campaigns. With over 17 years of experience leading creative teams worldwide—including Asia, Oceania, Europe, and the Americas—Marina has collaborated with top brands like USPS, Intel, Faber-Castell, Four Season Yachts, Durex, Novartis, and Grubhub guiding her teams to earn prestigious awards. Her leadership is rooted in a holistic, visually driven approach that consistently pushes creative boundaries, ensuring that every concept not only connects deeply with audiences but also elevates brand stories across platforms. A passionate mentor and educator, Marina dedicates her time to nurturing the next generation of creatives by teaching at universities and ad schools.

I’m a Brazilian creative currently working as a Senior Creative at Publicis London. Over the past decade, I’ve been working in Germany and had the chance to work for agencies like Havas, Grabarz & Partner, Jung von Matt Hamburg and Heimat/TBWA. I have worked on a variety of brands including Burger King, Getty Images, BMW and Coca-Cola. My work has been recognized by industry awards such as D&AD, The One Show, Cannes Lions, Clio, NYF, Webby, and has been featured in publications like The New York Times, Independent, Fox News, ABC, Rolling Stone and Vogue.

Hannah is an art director with commitment issues, never wanting to be pinned to one style or tone. In pursuit of range, she has had stints at Le Truc, Mischief, and Quality Meats before landing here at McKinney. She's left her fingerprints on work for brands like Tubi, Coors Light, Biore, Samsung, Huggies, Nike, Xfinity — and most recently since joining McKinney, Ross. She geeks out on directors treatments, riffing through new ideas, and has been known to write a manifesto or two when needed. Although she is in NYC now, being born and raised in the Midwest has blessed her with the gift of gab. So, when she says to stop by and say hi, she really means it.

Andrew is a creative leader who champions creative that brings truth and insight to the forefront of ideation. He helps brands connect with their audience in authentic ways. To him, advertising is art, and art makes the world a better place. Also, he loves an Easter egg in an add.

Pranav Bhardwaj is a multidisciplinary Creative Director whose career spans Wieden+Kennedy, Google, VICE Media, JWT, and Saatchi & Saatchi UAE — shaping a global perspective anchored in sharp intuition and high-precision craft. Today, he is the Founder of Beautiful Day, where he leads brand building for hospitality, lifestyle, tech, and consumer brands through end-to-end identities, campaigns, films, packaging systems, and high-impact digital work. He also serves as Head of Art & Design – Global at Royal Enfield, driving visual identity, product storytelling, and experiential design across international markets. His practice blends craft, culture, and contemporary worldbuilding with a signature visual language rooted in bold simplicity and meticulous detail. His creative work, installations, and design explorations have been featured across leading publications including It’s Nice That, TIME OUT, Cosmopolitan, and more. Pranav brings a culturally attuned, globally informed, detail-obsessed creative voice to every brief he touches.

Geetanjali Bhattacharji, widely known as the CMO Whisperer, is a transformation specialist and serial entrepreneur with over two decades of experience driving brand, marketing, and innovation excellence. A former Big 4 consulting leader, she has served as CEO of a marketing firm later acquired by Deloitte and played a pivotal role in transforming EY India’s marketing function into a future-ready growth engine. Her leadership journey also includes senior roles at Discovery Networks India and the Brand Safety Council of India.

Christoph’s career is an absolute failure. At least the one he originally aspired to as a celebrated soccer professional in the German Bundesliga. But he was able to turn his passion for soccer, sports and lifestyle into a profession – as the Executive Creative Director of 14ft, the Sports Marketing Unit of Accenture Song. There he’s responsible for award-winning campaigns for clients such as Borussia Dortmund, DAZN, Peloton, Netflix, bwin, Zalando and the German Olympic Sports Confederation, to name but a few. He lives with his wife and their two daughters in Bremen, in the north of Germany – world-famous for the Bremen Town Musicians and his beloved soccer club Werder Bremen.

I am a Brazilian copywriter based in Hamburg, Germany, working as an associate creative director at Publicis One Touch. I also worked in São Paulo and Rio. I've also worked at Grabarz and Partner, Grey, Artplan and Havas, with global and local clients, such as Porsche, Deutsche Telekom, Burger King, Reckitt Benckiser, Gillette, Volvo, Samsung, Heinz, Epic Games, Chevrolet, Citroën, and others. During my career, I’ve won more than 90 international awards, including Cannes Lions, Clio, One Show, NY Festivals, LIA, Effie, ADC, among others.

Group Creative Director with a career that spans Toronto, New York and Los Angeles.

Hailey Boerema is a Creative Director at Translation, where she drives the creative vision for clients such as NBA, WhatsApp, Meta wearables, and more. Her work has shaped campaigns ranging from international holiday initiatives, to SXSW activations, and even a full-length documentary. Her first exposure to advertising was when she was casted as a dancer in a Party City commercial, which ultimately edited her out. Since then, she has followed a decade-long career driven by mild vengeance and a drive to push the bounds of creativity and conventional advertising. She contributed to the launch of NBC’s Peacock, advanced the innovative advertising efforts for Tide and worked on campaigns for high-profile brands like the NFL, Gillette, and Applebee’s. As a result, she has had the privilege of teaching Giannis Atetokounmpo how to act, playing pool with Tinashe and James Blake, casting a live Peacock to be in her commercial, watching OBJ and Eli Manning perform the iconic dirty dancing lift, and discovering just how poorly she has been doing her laundry all along. In her free time you can find Hailey training to run a race in every state or sneaking pictures of her dog into the set dressing of her commercials.

Tato Bono is an advertising professional with extensive experience in production and curation. With a career that began in Curitiba, in 2012, she moved to São Paulo where she took on the role of Production Director at the Publicis agency. At Publicis, Tato was responsible for integrating the production departments bringing together audiovisual, graphic, and digital production. After seven years at Publicis, Tato took on a new challenge as Vice President of Production at W/Mccann and MD of Craft, the production company of the Mccann World Group, where she stayed for 3 years. In 2021, Tato made a strategic career change, becoming CPO and partner at Play9, a digital native company specializing in content creation and audience expansion for brands and influencers. There, she is responsible for the entire production area of Play9, directing the Play9Action vertical, which was awarded Best Production Company in Brazil at the Caboré Awards in 2022. In July 2024, Tato was invited to return to the Publicis Group as CPO, leading PXP and Arc. Throughout her career, she has served clients such as Mastercard, L'Oreal, Coca-Cola, Nivea, Nestle, GM, Carrefour, Sanofi, Ambev, among many other global and national clients.

As we all know, everyone writes their own bio… so I’m not doing it in 3rd person. I’m a Senior Copywriter, currently at Le Pub in Milan and previously at Cheil Worldwide in Madrid, working on brands like Samsung, Heineken, Toblerone, AliExpress or Starbucks. I fell into advertising after bartending at a creativity festival in 2019, and since then I’ve been all about big ideas and bad jokes. And for the one person actually reading this… hi Grandma <3

Alex is a Senior Integrated Strategist at Dentsu Creative in Chicago, where he helps brands show up in ways that feel genuinely human. He’s driven by a simple obsession: understanding why people do what they do—and using those behavioral insights to shape smarter, more resonant brand stories. Blending cultural curiosity and strategic rigor, Alex partners across teams to uncover the truths that move audiences. His experience spans social first ecosystems, integrated campaigns, and category defining cultural work. Raised in Tokyo, seasoned in Utah, and now calling Chicago home, he brings a global, grounded perspective to every brief—and believes the best ideas start with empathy, clarity, and a bit of playful curiosity.

Martina is an Italian-born, Brazil-based creative. After a bachelor’s degree in English and French Literature and an internship at VMLY&R Milan, she decided not to use any of the languages she had studied and moved to Berlin. After winning a few awards and representing Germany at the Cannes Lions School in 2024, she realized she wasn’t done complicating her life yet and moved again, this time to Brazil. After a stop at LePub, she is currently a Creative Copywriter at VML São Paulo. Whenever she feels a bit insecure, she likes to think of being a copywriter in a non-native language as a superpower: you question words more and choose them with extra care.

Kent brings more than twenty years of experience across Advertising, Television, and Film, leading major productions on both established and emerging platforms. He has worked with many of the world’s top agencies and creative tech companies, producing award winning campaigns that connect with audiences across many touchpoints. His work spans three continents and includes everything from brand content to immersive experiences. Highlights range from virtual hot laps at Phillip Island to an edible cardboard cake that reframed gluten free food. He has helped shape modern storytelling for brands like Nike, McDonald’s, Coca Cola, Optus, Shell, Kmart, and Woolworths. Recognised for his solutions focused approach, Kent now brings bold ideas to life through next gen Ai film production. He has also judged many international award shows, including Cannes Lions, LIA, Effies, Adfest, Webby’s, New York Festivals, and Spikes Asia as Jury President.

Senior communication strategist and consultant skilled in brand strategy, Integrated Marketing, advertising and digital strategy, media planning, shopper marketing, research and other disciplines of the communication ecosystem. Award winning, strong marketing professional with an MA in Marketing and communication from ESCP Europe/ESA.

Over the past 25 years, I’ve built a career as an art director and creative director across Brazil and New York, where I currently serve as Global Creative Partner at FCB Health NY. My work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, Clios, D&AD, One Show, London International, Lürzer’s Archive, and more. I’ve also had the privilege of mentoring emerging talent as a teacher at Miami Ad School and as a creative leader across agencies. I’ve contributed to global networks including Ogilvy, Havas, Publicis, J. Walter Thompson, and Africa Creative DDB—where, as ECD, I helped drive major accounts and supported the agency’s recognition as Ad Age’s International Agency of the Year in 2014. I’ve created campaigns for brands such as Itaú, AbInBev, Meta, Telefônica, Mitsubishi, and Sadia. At FCB Health NY, I advanced to EVP, Head of Arts & Craft, overseeing large multidisciplinary teams and shaping IPG Health’s creative leadership across the Health & Pharma industry.

Liam Brown, Strategy Director at McCann Worldgroup Canada, is an experienced strategic planner who has helped strategically guide some of Canada's best-known brands.

A multi-disciplinary planner with expertise in brand planning, creative strategy and communications planning, Liam has a wealth of experience across sectors, from retail to automotive to government and institutions.

A graduate of the London School of Economics, Liam also enjoys teaching scuba diving in his spare time.

Chris is a Creative Director at Publicis London. He has 15 years of experience working for global agencies and brands throughout the US and Europe. Some memorable highlights include being called ‘Motherf*cker’ by Samuel L. Jackson, getting punched in the ear by Jimmy Fallon, and driving a toy car through Paris. His work has been recognised by Cannes Lions, Clios, Webby’s, The One Show, D&AD, London International, ADC New York, ADC Europe, Epica, Eurobest, Addy’s, Lürzer’s Archive, & more.

Fifteen years ago, I entered advertising like a blank page—knowing nothing about the field. As the only woman in the art department, carving out my space was challenging, but resilience drove me forward. Today, I’m one of the few female ACDs in my country, inspiring my team with determination, and was named The One Club Next Creative Leader 2025. I’m passionate about humanitarian and environmental projects, reflecting my detailed “Virgo” nature. My work has earned recognition including APA Young Creative, Loeries, Cannes shortlists, Drum Awards, LIA, and D&AD. Being part of Ogilvy’s 30for30 Leadership Program helped me define my leadership style. I’ve contributed to initiatives like The Buddy Program and Cultural Shapers, mentoring my team and fostering collaboration. I remain committed to advancing women in creative roles and supporting causes that benefit people and the planet.

Jacob Burckhardt is the Founder and Managing Director of upperfast, a production company established in 2021. With offices now operating in both Berlin and Stuttgart, he leads the company in delivering high-quality commercial film production. His professional background includes studies in Advertising Producing at the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, followed by five years operating as a freelance producer across Germany and Switzerland. As an active member of the Art Directors Club (ADC), Jacob is deeply engaged with the creative community, bringing extensive production expertise and a sharp eye for film craft to the jury panel.

Saint is one of the rare breeds of creatives who completed both OneShow and Worldwide Bob Isherwood BootCamps. He spent 4 years in San Francisco, during which he completed the MFA with Bronze student award called 'Young Glory' and was given the chance to start his career at the well-respected agency, Young & Hungry California, as a junior art director. Saint returned to Thailand in 2017 to join Ogilvy; his hunger and determination have driven him to achieve much in a short time, winning a silver and 2 bronze at the Cannes Lions 2018. He has already worked on a range of the agency's biggest global brands, such as KFC, Colgate, Halls, and Coke, to name a few. His works got more and more awards, including D&AD, One Show, Spike Asia, AdFest, NYF, MadStars, etc. Nowadays, Saint settled down at 7-Eleven as an ECD who leads all 7-Eleven Thailand projects.

Stephanie Cain is a Creative Director at McGarrah Jessee, where she’s spent the last 10 years building memorable creative like “Frost Unexpectedly True Stories” and the “Blame it on Masterclass.” With a background in experience design, Stephanie loves uncovering human truths to create things that resonate with real people. Some brands she has worked on include Frost, Masterclass, Whataburger, Gamestop, Kendra Scott, YETI, Shiner, Zippo, and more.

Pathologically curious about why people do what they do, Karla has spent over 15 years stealing insights from human behavior and turning them into ideas that spark emotion and, ultimately, results. She started her career in São Paulo as a copywriter at agencies such as WMcCann, FCB, TBWA, and DDB, working on brands like Mastercard, Sprite, and Natura. She later moved to Europe, working across Germany, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic at Serviceplan Munich, Jandl Bratislava, Y&R Prague, Havas Prague, Optimist, and VML, creating campaigns for clients including BMW, Škoda Global, Nestlé, JDE, Mondelez, and Hill’s. Her work has been recognized at major international award shows including Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio, LIA, Eurobest, ADC, Golden Drum, and The One Show. Now a Creative Director at VML Prague, she helped the agency win the Czech Republic’s first-ever Cannes Lions Grand Prix. A proud mother in a rainbow family, Karla sees creativity not as a skill but as a superpower — one she uses to engage consumers and entertain her one-year-old (or the other way around).

Alejandra Calle is a Colombian-born copywriter and Senior Digital Creative at Alma Miami with over six years of experience developing culturally driven, social and digital first work for the U.S. Hispanic market. With a background in multicultural advertising, she focuses on ideas that spark conversation and use creativity as a tool for connection and cultural impact. Alejandra has collaborated with award-winning teams recognized across major industry festivals. Her experience includes integrated campaigns for brands such as Pepsi, Wells Fargo, Google, Kroger, and Change the Ref, among others.

Robyn Campbell is the Senior Vice President for Publicis Groupe Africa, overseeing a portfolio of the Groupe’s leading creative and PR agencies. In this role, she focuses on driving creative excellence, strategic integration, and growth across the network, partnering closely with agency leaders and clients to shape brands that lead in a fast-changing world. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Robyn won awards including Cannes, A&AD, OneShow, The Loerie Awards, and The Bookmark Awards, and is a recognised thought leader and speaker on the future of marketing in South Africa. Robyn also holds leadership positions across several key industry bodies, serving on the Loerie Awards and Bookmark Awards committees, and as a board member of the IAB South Africa. In these roles, she continues to champion education, collaboration, and excellence across the creative and digital marketing landscape.

Highly awarded as an Executive Creative Director, Writer & Art Director, Rebecca has over 24 years experience in creative problem solving, with 16 years experience in executive management, leading creative departments in developing IP for the largest advertising and tech companies across ANZ. Her work has been recognised with Best In Show, Campaign of The Year, Client of The Year, Creative of The Year, an Asia Pacific Child Rights Award, a United Nations Award, Television Programming Awards and metal of all colours.

I’m a French-Brazilian Creative Director based in New York, with an art direction background and a deep passion for craft. I believe in ideas that sit at the intersection of culture, insight, and strategy, brought to life through thoughtful execution. Strong collaboration and creative ambition turn those ideas into meaningful, impactful work.

Creative thinker and leader working on both big and small brands that span almost every category. From automotive to fashion, from healthcare to sliders and from juice to vitamins. Karen has over 25 years of experience building brands and shaping culture.

Casey Cayko is Lost Planet Editorial’s East Coast Executive Producer, overseeing commercials, films, series, and branded content for the famed post-production house. Working from the New York headquarters, he fosters a culture of creativity, acts as a steward for artistic growth, and sources interesting, inspiring projects for Lost Planet’s roster of award-winning editors. Casey started working with Lost Planet as an intern in 2013, progressing quickly to the role of producer. After taking a brief sabbatical to travel Southeast Asia, Casey later served as Head of Production at Union Editorial before returning to Lost Planet as an Executive Producer. His post-production career started at PBS as an editorial assistant on its “American Experience” documentary series. Since then, he’s worked with nearly every major global brand, including Nike, Coca-Cola, Google, YouTube, and American Express’s Oscar’s campaign.

A scientist-turned-strategist, Debo brings together the rigor of research and the creativity of brand building. He has worked in various brand categories, such as mental health, philanthropy, spirits, FMCG and insurance, in addition to healthcare. Debo possesses cross-functional learning that helps drive effective brand building. Debo has led launches across human therapeutic areas, such as chronic conditions, oncology, animal health, and rare diseases. He has led positioning, strategies, and tactical plans for Havas’ US & global portfolios.Named as one of MM&M's 40 under 40, Debo believes that understanding people at both ends of every treatment truly builds brands in the healthcare and pharma space.

Stephanie is Associate Strategy Director at Publicis Groupe Hong Kong. With 10+ years in advertising, she specializes in brand building, creative strategy, market entry, and business transformation across Hong Kong and Mainland China. Stephanie is known for connecting business goals with creative ideas that actually work. She believes in blending technology and human touch into every project, creating ideas that feel real and spark genuine engagement. Over the years, she has partnered with teams and clients across travel, banking, finance, FMCG, and luxury industries. Her past and present clients include HSBC, Cathay Pacific, Prudential, Hermès, De Beers, Unilever, Unicharm, Johnson & Johnson, and Alibaba.

Having spent time at iconic agencies in Sydney and London, Matt’s work has been recognised multiple times at shows including Cannes, D&AD, One Show, Spikes, NY Festivals, LIA Awards, AWARD, Adstars, Facebook Awards, AdNews Awards, B&T Awards, Ciclope, Creative Circle and Campaign Big. An active participant in the industry, Matt has tutored and judged AWARD School on several occasions, as well as judging the AWARD Awards, APAC Effies, BADC and Cannes Young Lions, and serving as a mentor for the Free the Bid program. In 2020, Matt was the sole creative listed on AdNews Top 20 Emerging Leaders list. In 2021, he was named the National Head of AWARD School, the industry’s famed course for aspiring creatives. And in 2022 he was named on Campaign Asia’s list of 40 Under 40 Leaders in APAC.

Halo began her journey at Leo Burnett, stepping into the world of creativity as a writer with an innate curiosity and a genuine love for storytelling. Her early days in the P&G ecosystem quickly taught her that the best ideas are rooted in human truth—a belief that became her creative compass. Her SPCA campaign struck gold at the Kam Fan Awards, giving her a memorable first glimpse of the thrill that comes from truly resonant work. As her career progressed, Halo stepped into a leadership role, guiding a team in delivering memorable campaigns for the Hong Kong Tourism Board and bringing bright, joyful moments to McDonald’s. These experiences opened the door for her to represent Hong Kong at the Cannes competition—an exciting chapter that expanded her creative horizons. Now Executive Creative Director at Leo, Halo collaborates with Cathay to help shape a brand that embodies the spirit of “Move Beyond.” Still as curious as ever, she believes every exceptional campaign begins with keen observation and an understanding of what makes people tick. For Halo, creativity isn’t just about ideas—it’s about finding the humanity at their heart.

Garron is the Strategy Director at Publicis Groupe in Hong Kong, handling creative and brand strategy development to work along the media strategy teams. With over 12+ years’ experience in the advertising industry, Garron brings an array of knowledge and expert insights including branding, creative strategy and business transformation, having been the strategy lead for brands such as Cathay Pacific, McDonalds, HSBC, AXA and more. Garron graduated from Questrom School of Business, Boston University in 2010 with a bachelor of science degree in business management. He is also an award-winning standup comedian, having featured in Comedy Central’s “Stand Up Asia!” season 2,

MY Chong is an Account Supervisor based in Seoul with experience at Ogilvy Korea and TBWA\Korea, and is currently part of TBWA\Media Arts Lab Seoul. Throughout her career, she has worked with some of the world's most renowned brands, including Apple, Philips, Maserati, Skechers, and Mentholatum. Her work has been honored at One Show, Webby, and Epica, and has also been recognized with a D&AD Yellow Pencil. She also served as a 2025 Shortlist Jury member for the New York Festivals Advertising Awards.

Ruby is a Milwaukee-based Senior Art Director at Dentsu Creative. Much to her parents’ disappointment, even though she works on brands like OREO, 7-Eleven, and Disney, she does not get free products. When she’s not creating work for major clients, she’s busy with her other full time role: parenting two toddlers, a dog, and a cat alongside her husband.

Curious and keen, with two decades of fast-paced agency experience spanning digital and print work across branded campaigns, advertising, web, branding, product, events, and in-store activations. Chris creates work with thoughtful touches that enrich both the brand and the medium. A multi-disciplinary designer who reads code, understands 3D and photography, all while being endlessly fascinated by technology. He sees himself as the trusted mechanic: a safe pair of reliable and experienced hands. Chris has honed his design skills and held leadership positions at advertising agencies in Australia, the United Kingdom and South Africa, including Cocogun, Host, Iris Sydney, Elvis Communications, BD-NTWK and others. He has produced work across every aspect of launching and servicing alcohol, apparel, automotive, banking, charity, electronics, food, education, telecoms and wellness brands. His portfolio includes global and local campaigns for adidas Rugby, Apple, American Express, Cadbury, Samsung, Panasonic, Toshiba, Harrison.ai, Anti-Slavery Australia, HeartKids, LinkedIn, Paramount+, Philips, Peroni, Chang Beer, Sailor Jerry, F1 Arcade and many more. Chris has won awards for his work across various categories and judges several industry awards, including the One Show Awards in New York (2023), New York Festivals Advertising Awards and Adelaide Advertising Awards. He leads from the front and is committed to growing both himself and those around him through every interaction. Chris naturally cares deeply about the end product and will surprise with craft.

As a Group Creative Director, Juliana blends bold creative vision with sharp business acumen to inspire teams to go beyond the brief. She sets the standard for performance and quality, pushing work to new heights and ensuring it delivers measurable impact. She leads multiple creative teams across accounts and verticals, collaborating with other service leads to bring ideas from concept to execution. Known for nurturing top-level client relationships, Juliana creates a culture where talent thrives, and ideas sell. Reporting to senior creative leadership, she helps drive departmental goals while championing creativity that moves both brands and business forward.

Brand and communication strategist with over 16 years of experience across leading advertising agencies and strategic consultancies. As Head of Strategy at Droga5 São Paulo, she leads the agency’s strategic vision, operational excellence, and team development, leading global project for brands such as AB InBev, Netflix, and Unilever. Under her leadership, Droga5 São Paulo earned 29 Effie Awards in three years, securing its position among the five most awarded agencies at Effie Latam 2024. Her work is guided by the belief that strategy sits at the intersection of culture and business. Throughout her career, she has built affective and effective strategies that generate value for brands while creating relevance in people’s lives. During a five-year break from advertising, she worked in the third sector, founding the Strategy area at Think Olga and Think Eva, a social innovation consultancy recognized for advancing equity and social justice for women and their intersections.

Hi! I'm currently working as a Creative Director at Wieden+Kennedy Mexico. Over the past 12+ years, I’ve worked at several international agencies including Ogilvy, FCB, Young & Rubicam, MTV’s International Creative Team, GUT Buenos Aires, and Grey Argentina. Throughout my career, I’ve had the chance to create for brands like Uber Eats, Jeep, Coca-Cola, IKEA, AB InBev (Corona, Stella Artois, Pilsen Extra), Verizon, Mercado Libre, Mondelez, MTV, Movistar, Doritos, and many others. Along the way, my work has been recognized at major advertising festivals such as Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio Awards, One Show, Young Lions, Circulo de Creatividad Argentina, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, Lápiz, and Effie. I have to say that I consider myself a lucky person, because I had the opportunity to work with many talented people and to be part of the team that founded GUT Buenos Aires (Independent Agency of the Year at Cannes Lions) and the team that launched Wieden+Kennedy Mexico — the first Spanish-speaking W+K office.

Leonardo Cotti is a Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi Italy, where he leads projects for major national and international brands across multiple industries, from finance and FMCG to tech, energy and NGOs. With a background as a copywriter and a strong narrative-driven approach, his work blends insight, cultural observation and emotional craft, spanning film, brand platforms, integrated campaigns and AI-driven experimentation. Throughout his career, he has worked on campaigns for clients such as Visa, Toyota, P&G, NIVEA, Peroni and UNICEF, contributing to award-winning projects across different markets. Leonardo is particularly passionate about emerging technology, new storytelling formats and the evolving relationship between brands and people.

Driven by a passion for powerful ideas, Marina Cuesta is an award-winning creative leader with a career spanning global and multicultural markets, from North America and the U.S. Hispanic market to Europe. She has led integrated campaigns for iconic brands alongside top agencies including TBWA, Media Arts Lab, China Madrid, Dieste, The Marketing Arm, and Creyentes (We Believers). Marina leads with empathy, vision, and purpose, building bridges across teams, cultures, and ideas. A strong advocate for creative mentorship, she is deeply committed to advancing diversity and inclusion, with a particular focus on empowering women in the industry. She has served as a mentor, speaker, and juror at international festivals, earning over 50 awards for work that blends creative excellence with cultural impact.

Brandon Curl is a creative director and copywriter at GSD&M. He currently works on Capital One for which he turned John Travolta into Santa Claus and Charles Barkley into a blimp that flew to the Final Four. Brandon is passionate about writing his own briefs and using creativity to make a meaningful difference for clients and culture. The children’s book he co-created, Hear My Voice / Escucha mi voz, used real testimony from children detained at the border to raise awareness and funding for children in migration and was named a Best Book of the Year by the New York Public Library. His short film A Man Like You earned the Glass Lion at Cannes and helped transform Harry’s into a billion-dollar brand. His work has been recognized by Cannes, The One Show, Clios, Effies, and more—but he is still not a doctor. Sorry, mom.

Fiona began her career at Michael Peters, establishing a strong track record in branding. She joined Williams Murray Hamm in 1998, forging a reputation for inventive and original thinking — creating work from global drinks brands to famous chefs, skincare experts to coffee connoisseurs. With over 60 global design awards to her name, including a Gold Cannes Lion, a D&AD Yellow Pencil (and many other odd-shaped gongs) Fiona has earned a spot on many British and International design juries. After 17 years at WMH, she went on to co-found Distil Studio, working with startup brands, social enterprises and F1 World champions. In 2024, Fiona returned to WMH&I as Creative Lead, pushing ideas and nurturing a new wave of creative talent.

Mike Cuthell is a London-born creative leader based in New York, currently serving as Group Creative Director at Dentsu Creative. His work blends innovation, entertainment, and the unconventional, with a focus on strategically driven ideas that resonate authentically in culture. Previously Creative Lead for North America at Spotify, he has held senior creative roles at Equinox, Anomaly, AKQA, and Leo Burnett across the US and UK. His portfolio includes global work for brands such as Nike, Sonos, YouTube, Spotify, OREO, 7-Eleven, Buchanan’s, and Crown Royal Whisky, earning recognition at the Superbowl, MLB World Series and Champion's League Final, with accolades from Cannes, D&AD, The One Show, Clios, FWA, AICP, Cresta, Kinsale, Webby's, and Adobe’s Cutting Edge Creativity Awards. Beyond agency leadership, Mike co-founded the Young Creative Council, a non-profit supporting emerging creative talent, and founded SingleCreatives.com, a platform built to foster collaboration within the global creative community.

Josh is Executive Strategy Director at Supermassive, an independent global creative studio based in Sydney.

Previously he's held senior strategic roles at TBWA, VML and Special where he he contributed to the team winning ‘Agency of the Year’ at both the New Zealand Effie Awards and the APAC Effie Awards.

His experience spans global and local clients including Optus, Tourism New Zealand, Nestle, Wendy’s and Pfizer. Before being seduced by agency life, he grew up client side at News UK and ITV.

Originally from Vitória, a small island in Brazil, Vini built his career in some of the world’s most competitive creative markets. He began at Wieden+Kennedy and FCB before joining Publicis Milan’s Le Pub, leading global campaigns for Heineken and Diesel under the mentorship of Marco Venturelli and Bruno Bertelli. Their influence shaped his belief that creativity must always come first. Vini later moved to London to lead creative for Apple, then relocated to Toronto in 2022 to join Publicis as Executive Creative Director. He was promoted to Chief Creative Officer at the end of 2023. His global experience has informed a culture of high standards and creative ambition at Publicis Toronto. In his first full award year as CCO, the agency reached a major milestone with the “Wildfire Watchtowers” campaign for Rogers, helping transform Publicis Toronto into one of Canada’s most exciting creative destinations.

When Bryan isn't helping create and lead campaigns for prestigious brands such as HBO, OkCupid, and Amtrak, mentoring the next generation of creative stars, quibbling with clients over social best practices, goofing off with his kids, breaking down cardboard boxes for recycling, or blurting out "Hey, I've cast that person before!” to anyone who cares (see: no one) during TV commercial breaks . . . he's judging work for NYFA 2026. Let’s get to it. Right after I break down this last box.

Jessika is an Art Director at Cheil Worldwide Spain with over 10 years of experience in advertising and audiovisual production. She has previously worked at renowned agencies including TBWA Spain and McCann Worldgroup, developing campaigns for global brands such as McDonald's, Samsung, Telefónica, Movistar, Real Madrid, AliExpress, Iberia Airlines, and Mazda. Her work has been recognized at leading international festivals including Cannes Lions, D&AD, and Clio. She has served as a jury member at Dubai Lynx, Young Lynx, and previous editions of NYFA, and has mentored emerging creative talent across Spanish universities.

Eric Dennis is a Group Creative Director at Dentsu Creative, focused on helping brands break into culture with creatively driven, innovative ideas that steal attention and make an impact in the real world. Before joining Dentsu Creative, Eric’s career spanned agencies including Wieden & Kennedy, Droga5, Mother, 72andSunny and Barton F. Graf. He’s worked with brands including Oreo, Kayak, Delta, Sprite, Cheerios, Target, 7Eleven, Quilted Northern, Little Caesars, Axe and more. His work has been recognized by every major advertising award show, featured in the New York Times, and entered into the permanent collection of the MoMa

Crystal Deuel is a Creative Director with over 10 years of experience creating award winning work for brands like, Dell Technologies, Colgate-Palmolive, Nestle, Hellmann's, Gillette, Mercedes-Benz, and Verizon. In her spare time, she likes to work in her garden, fill Pinterest boards with outfit inspo and crush crossword puzzles. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and pitbull-chihuahua, Mia Tortilla.

Hemal Dhanjee is a Creative Director at Courage, one of the fastest-growing independent agencies in the world. His work sits at the intersection of culture, sport, and business, turning sharp cultural moments into real business impact for world-class brands. His work is consistently recognized globally at Cannes Lions, The One Show, D&AD, and the Webbys, and has been featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Complex, Forbes, and USA Today, among others. In 2024, he was named Canada’s #1 Copywriter by Strategy Magazine. A year earlier, he and his partner Steve Ierullo were recognized by ADWEEK as two of the most innovative talents shaping marketing, media, and culture. Hemal believes fun is the single most powerful force in advertising, anchoring teams, clients, and consumers around ideas people genuinely want to buy into.

A creative who believes in the power of earnest ideas, Brandon Dollente is currently a Group Creative Director in Publicis Manila. His digital work has been recognized in various local shows as best use of the medium. He also bagged the country's first platinum metal at the Asian Marketing Effectiveness awards. He is proudest of his work as a girl dad.

Earned-first Creative Director blending craft and cultural tension. Lucy has spent over 15 years in agencies both large and small spanning design, advertising and PR. She has led award-winning campaigns for the world’s biggest brands and cooked up ideas across almost every sector. Currently CD at Havas, she leads creative for the group’s only earned healthcare agency — disrupting the category with ideas that drive movements, spark change, and shift behaviour. Outside agency life, Lucy co-runs Moonlights; a creative collective that proactively pitches purpose-led ideas to charities.

An architect of disruptive ideas; Bhavesh’s approach to solving brand problems has always been deeply rooted in insights. He has been an ardent advocate of purpose-driven communication, which has led to many defining campaigns in his career. It’s evident from the many wins at multiple national and international award shows namely Clio Health, Effies India, New York Festivals’ The Global Award, Rx Club, India’s ET Nutrition & Wellness Awards, and e4m ICMA Awards. Bhavesh has played key leadership roles in some of the leading advertising agencies in India that rank among the top 5. He has also been part of Global Creative Leadership Council as Executive Creative Director, McCann Health, India before he started out on his own with his agency – Maverick & Monk Communications. His experience spans across sectors such as food & beverage, healthcare, automobiles, devices & instruments, banks, etc.

Courtney Driver is a Creative Director at INNOCEAN, leading creative teams for Genesis, Hyundai Motor Group’s global luxury automotive brand. She also serves as INNovation Culture Lead, playing a key role in advancing the agency’s INNovation programming, including the launch of its INNovation educational series, and contributing to cross-functional Emerging Tech initiatives. With two decades of experience across luxury advertising and publishing, her award-winning work has shaped brand narratives for more than 100 global luxury brands. As a former Executive Editor, she transformed a leading luxury publication into a digital platform reaching millions of readers each month globally, overseeing a worldwide contributor network and securing partnerships with major media networks including Condé Nast and Yahoo. Her work blends consumer psychology, cultural intelligence, and emerging technology to build brands that command trust and cultural authority in modern luxury.

Chief Creative Officer Latam at SAMY since 2022, Mariano has over 25 years of experience. He has worked in agencies such as Senior Publicidad, CraveroLanis Euro RSCG, Ogilvy & Mather, Euro RSCG Buenos Aires, Havas Worldwide Spain (Madrid and Barcelona), fairweather/SSBA, and AnyGivenDay. Over the years, he has created local, regional, and global campaigns for numerous brands spanning almost every product category, earning over 300 awards and distinctions at major advertising festivals including Cannes Lions, Clio, New York Festival, One Show, D&AD, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, LIAA, FIAP, El Sol, Effie, Epica, and more. He has served as a jury member at various prestigious advertising festivals worldwide, including his participation as an executive juror at the New York Festival and representing Spain as a jury member at Cannes Lions. Additionally, he has been a teacher at the Escuela Superior de Creativos Publicitarios Argentinos, Underground Escuela de Creativos, and Brother Madrid.

Dustin Duke is a Global Executive Creative Director on Amazon’s Brand Innovation team, where he elevates how brands show up across the Amazon canvas through innovative, bespoke advertising experiences. Before Amazon, Dustin served as Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy New York, where he led global creative for some of the world’s most influential brands, including American Express, Coca-Cola, IBM, IKEA, Philips, and VitaminWater. His creative philosophy centers on the power of emotion amplified by innovation, crafting work that not only earns attention but also inspires action and meaningful engagement. Dustin’s work has earned him an Emmy Award, along with two additional nominations, and has been recognized by Cannes Lions, The One Show, the Art Directors Club, The Clios, London International Awards, the Webbys, SXSW Innovation Showcase, and Communication Arts. His campaigns have been covered by The New York Times, Time magazine, and The Today Show, and selected pieces reside in the MoMA Film Permanent Archives.

Renata Dumont is an Executive Producer with more than 20 years of experience working in commercial production companies. She started in São Paulo as Head of Sales for Latin America at Hungry Man and then worked her way to become a Managing Director / Executive Producer at Delicatessen, Stink and finally Anonymous Content Brazil. Her leadership on the production of campaigns such as COMA for Getty Images, Print for Help for HP and Sprite Shower for The Coca-Cola Company, lead her to receive global awards at The Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio, Ciclope and El Ojo.

She didn’t wait for permission. She didn’t wait for time. She rose — fast. She didn’t just climb the ladder, she rebuilt it. Batool, the youngest and only female COO in the ad-industry, has defied odds to lead business operations with excellence. Leading with grit, she turns clients into allies, teams into engines, and brands into legends. A proven track record of success earned her a spot on Campaign Asia’s Women to Watch 2024 list. As a jury panel member for prestigious awards like New York Festivals, Dragons of Asia and Global Content Awards, Batool shares her expertise and gains insight into global advertising cultures. Her secret to success? Trust, transparency, and a passion for going above and beyond making brands into superstars. A true champion of growth, Batool’s journey exemplifies how resilience and dedication can shape the industry — inspiring others to follow suit and redefine what’s possible.

Matthew is a senior creative lead with experience crafting campaigns for brands including USPS, Instagram, Uber, Google, Smirnoff, Virgin Hotels, and Facebook App. Before joining the team at McCann, he worked at agencies including JOAN Creative, 72andSunny, and Johannes Leonardo. While originally based in New York City, Matthew currently lives in San Francisco with his husband and his dog, Dutch. Naturally irreverent himself, he’s drawn towards work that subverts, entertains, or defies the status quo. His personal philosophy is that while humor may not be right for every brand or campaign, it is essential for every creative.

A passionate, empathetic and down-to-earth leader, Annie genuinely cares about the work and her team. After more than 20 years in the industry, she has extensive experience in New York and Australia. She’s created work across most industries, more recently including Instagram, Google, Jeep, Ally Bank, HP, Scuderia Ferrari and Real Madrid CF. She’s always looking for an excuse to make work that helps the environment, social causes or diversity awareness, believing strongly in the power of advertising for good.

Sara Eolin is the Partner/Executive Producer of Tinygiant. Sara has worked in the commercial production world for over 20 years, having producer positions at Grey Worldwide, Merkley & Partners, and head of production at Lowe Worldwide. Before starting at Tinygiant, she was one of the founding partners of Rocket Film, an Executive Producer at Aero Film, and one of the owners and managing director of the post/visual effects company Parachute. For long-form work, she is one of the Executive Producers of the feature film “Good One” which has its debut at Sundance and Cannes Fortnight in 2024. Short film producer credits include The Sandpit, Empress Nicole the Great, and The Girl Epidemic. Sara is an East Coast Board member of AICP and an active member of the International Radio and Television Society and NYWIFT. New York City is her home, and hopefully always will be. She shares it with her amazing husband, their son, their 2 incredibly lazy dogs, and an even lazier tortoise.

Since 2006, Francesco chose creativity, driven by a deep passion for advertising and an endless curiosity.

About 10 years ago, I came to New York with aspirations of making work with a refined artistic sensibility. Since then, I’ve built a headset that puts potato chips in people’s mouths, created a depressed AI, started a feud between a young child and Santa Claus, shaved superheroes, created a new emotion, and sentenced a man to life in a Pringles can. Thankfully, nothing has gone according to plan. Some of those were award-winning campaigns, some were Super Bowl ads, and some were award-winning Super Bowl ads but most were just things I really wanted to see exist out in the world. These days, I’m at FIG, where I helped win the pitch for the Tropicana portfolio, built up the creative department, led work for Naked, Benjamin Moore, and Publix, and definitely pay attention during resourcing meetings. God, I really hope this wasn’t supposed to be in the third person.

Creative strategies, pupusa lover and with more than 15 years of experience. My mom thinks I'm the best creative in the world, but in real life I'm one of the most awarded creatives in Costa Rica. I have more than 200 awards (Effie, Cannes Lions, Clio, One Show, New York Festivals, Festival El Sol, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, Webby Awards, Fiap, Festival Antigua, Festival Volcán and a third place medal in a breakdance competition. I have also been a jury of important festivals such as: Cannes Lions, Young Lions Global, New York Festival, Festival El Sol, El Ojo De Iberoamérica, Effie Latam.

I’m Alberto Espeja, a creative with international experience across some of the most iconic agencies in London, Germany, and Spain, including Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy, DDB, Grabarz & Partner, LOLA, and McCann. London shaped my strategic thinking and obsession with strong, memorable ideas. Germany taught me efficiency, rigor, and how to run creativity with precision. Spain gave me emotional instinct and human storytelling. Blending these perspectives, I’ve developed campaigns that travel globally while staying grounded in local insight. The result is a versatile creative approach. Big-picture thinking with cultural sensitivity and real relevance on the ground.

Marion is a Filipino copywriter and associate creative director with 15 years of experience. He began his career in accounts before moving into copywriting—a path that gave him a clear understanding of how ideas are built, challenged, and ultimately delivered. Curious by nature, Marion is as invested in studying creative work as producing it, paying close attention to how ideas are built, earn attention and hold relevance in culture. His work has been recognized at local and international award shows, and he has been listed among the Philippines’ top copywriters. Across roles and disciplines, Marion brings a practical, keen-eyed view of creativity. He values work that shows clarity of thinking, cultural uniqueness, and results in truly meaningful impact.

My name is Fernando Fagaldes, and I’m a Senior Creative Copywriter at Notable, an independent agency based in Uruguay. My work has been recognized at several international festivals, including Clio Awards, New York Festivals, FIAP, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, IAB Mixx and Desachate, among others. I hold a degree in Communication from Universidad de la República (UDELAR) and I’m a graduate of Brother, one of the world’s leading creative schools. Throughout my career, I’ve worked with regional and global brands such as Itaú, Doritos, Lay’s, Flamin’ Hot, AB InBev and Divino, developing ideas across different platforms with a strong focus on strategy and impact.

Luiz Faria is a Creative Director at Rethink Toronto and one of the minds behind “The Last Barf Bags,” the multi–Grand Prix–winning campaign that became one of last year’s most celebrated ideas. Originally from Brazil, Luiz brings a design-driven, culturally fluent perspective shaped by more than ten years of experience across global brands. His work blends bold conceptual thinking with meticulous craft, often transforming simple observations into ideas that spark conversation and earn their place in culture. At Rethink, he helps lead the creative vision for Heinz globally, developing brand acts, visual worlds, and culturally resonant campaigns recognized across markets. With a background that spans art direction, branding, and integrated storytelling, Luiz continues to push for work that is both emotionally sharp and visually iconic — ideas that people want to share, talk about, and remember.

Born in Italy, Giorgia began her advertising career in Milan in 2009. Winning the Young Lions competition at Cannes kickstarted her journey, and by 2014 she relocated to the UAE, where she quickly established herself as a rising creative talent, earning medals in young creative competitions. In Dubai, she worked across leading global agencies including VMLY&R, J. Walter Thompson, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Leo Burnett. Today, as a Creative Director at Edelman, Giorgia collaborates with teams across the Middle East, Europe, and the US, shaping transformative work across government, tech, energy, health, financial communications, and consumer brands. Passionate about nurturing talent, she is an active speaker, judge, and mentor for emerging creatives. Giorgia thrives on smart, culture-led ideas grounded in data and insight. Her two signature questions are: “Yes, but why?” and “Yes, but what if?” Long story short: she rarely says “yes” without a “but”—apologies in advance (but also, how fun!).

Vitória Ferrari is an award-winning Brazilian Senior Creative Copywriter with over 12 years of experience in the advertising industry. Starting her career at just 16, she has spent the last decade at global agencies in São Paulo, Brazil, developing impactful projects for major brands across film, PR and digital. Her work has been recognized by Cannes Lions (including a Grand Prix), The One Show, D&AD, LIA and Clio Awards. In 2025, she was named a Next Creative Leader by The One Club for Creativity.

Lauren is a Portland-based creative director, copywriter, and mother of one. Over the past few decades, she’s bounced between agency and brandside, creating bold, innovative, global campaigns for clients like Netflix, Spotify, Apple, AirBnB, Meta, HBO, NYT, Equinox, and Google. Most recently she was a Group Creative Director at Wieden + Kennedy and part of the team that led global creative efforts for Netflix. She’s loves helping brands find their unique place in the world and making work that feels human and true.

Gabriel Ferrer has 15 years of experience in the creative department of advertising agencies such as Crispin Porter & Bogusky, Mullen, DDB and currently serves as the Executive Creative Director at Alma. Gabriel has worked on brands such as Coors Light, Netflix, QuickBooks, Google, Planet Fitness, McDonald’s, State Farm, and Tobacco Free Florida. In 2018, he was featured as one of Adweek’s 100 Most Creative People and his work has been featured in publications from Fast Company to Forbes. Whenever he’s not making ads, he moonlights as a rapper and enjoys spending time with his four year old daughter Gigi and French bulldog Broomhilda.

Hunter Fine is currently a GCD at Mischief. Let's assume this sentence mentions something about 'brave work' like everyone else. His work has been awarded at the major industries shows, parodied, and occasionally taken seriously.

Mark is the founder of Portland creative agency Opinionated. Mark spent twenty years at Wieden+Kennedy breathing fresh life into iconic American brands, creating award-winning work for Coca-Cola, Levi’s, Chrysler and most memorably, Old Spice, creating a campaign that has gone on to be one of the funniest and most enduring in advertising. As partner and global ECD Mark helped Wieden+Kennedy cement its reputation as the world’s most creative ad agency, becoming the first independent to be Cannes Agency of the Year. Along the way Mark served as Cannes Titanium jury president and was consistently named one of the most creative people in advertising. In 2017 Mark left W+K to start Opinionated. He has led the agency through seven consecutive years of double-digit financial growth, winning AdAge’s Small Agency of the Year six times and establishing Opinionated as one of the shops defining the new independent creative agency renaissance.

With over a decade of experience in the design industry, his expertise spans print, editorial, art direction, brand and campaign work, driven by a passion for big ideas and meticulous design craft. James has a history of successful projects and has been collecting silverware from many international competitions, including Transform Awards, New York Festivals and Drum Awards. An avid music fan and burger enthusiast, James finds creative inspiration in London’s diverse cultural scene. His work not only reflects his deep understanding of brand narrative but also his commitment to innovative design solutions.

Victor Fontan is a Tokyo-based Creative Director with over 14 years of experience working across Spain, Vietnam, Thailand, and Japan. His work spans advertising, brand experience, experience design, and emerging technology, with a strong focus on how brands show up within real cultural and behavioral contexts. He has led brand, experiential, product, and innovation projects on both agency and client sides, collaborating with global brands including IQOS, AXA, McDonald’s, and Agoda (Booking.com). His approach is human-first, combining strong craft with thoughtful use of technology to shape meaningful brand experiences. Victor has served as a jury member for multiple international advertising and branding awards. He currently leads the creative arm of Experience Lab at Publicis Groupe Tokyo.

Felipe Franco is a Brazilian-German award-winning Creative Leader, Film Director, and Entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the advertising and marketing industries. He has led global campaigns for major brands across four continents, consistently delivering creative solutions that connect with diverse audiences. Throughout his career, Felipe has collaborated with leading brands in the luxury, technology, and automotive sectors, including Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Tumi, Ritz-Carlton, Samsung, and Siemens, among many others. His work has also brought him to collaborate with international figures such as David Beckham and Lando Norris. Recognised with multiple international awards, Felipe’s achievements reflect his commitment to creative excellence and meaningful impact. His leadership and strategic vision have been key in shaping campaigns that bring groundbreaking products to market, merging storytelling with technology and innovation. With a truly global perspective gained from working across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East, Felipe offers deep insight into navigating today’s complex marketing landscape. As the founder of the creative consultancy FF & Co and an AI enthusiast, he continues to push boundaries, helping brands achieve their goals through the fusion of creativity and technology.

Advertising professional, film specialist, professor, and entrepreneur. Founder, CEO, Creative Director, and creator of the MonkeyBusiness method.

My name is Fabian, and I try making ads people don't want to skip. Before being an ECD at antoni_, I led teams at adam&eveDDB, HeimatTBWA\ and Jung von Matt. Brands I worked on for the past 10+ years include PUMA, Deutsche Telekom, Mercedes Benz, Google, ALDI, and OpenAI.

’m a young creative with a soft spot for bold ideas and a hard love for social media. Curious by nature, playful in execution and always on the lookout for the next big trend.

Patricia Gaglioni joined Wieden+Kennedy in 2022 as Executive Producer for the global Budweiser account. She has built her career at leading agencies in Brazil such as W/McCann, Y&R, Taterka, Ogilvy, and Africa, producing work for brands including Amazon, ABI, Bradesco, Betano, Colgate, Ford, General Motors, Google, HP, Itaú, Mastercard, McDonald’s, Natura, Netflix, Nike, Nubank, and Uber. Her background also includes roles at major production companies Conspiração and O2 Filmes, as well as serving as Global Producer at Avon. Patricia leads multidisciplinary teams by fostering collaboration, aligning creative visions, and bringing ideas to life with excellence.

Brand Strategist at Wieden + Kennedy Mexico City, specializing in cultural research, brand campaigns & trend hunting

Alex Gangi is a creative producer focused on the unconventional, innovative and exceptional. With over 15 years of experience turning bold ideas into culture-moving content, he's led groundbreaking productions across AI, AR, future technologies, social, digital, and live action for some of the world’s biggest brands—including Coca-Cola, Lenovo, Microsoft and more. He’s created everything from AI-powered time machines to augmented reality concerts on cans. Currently Partner and Head of Production at Sounds Fun, Alex leads the charge on producing meaningful, high-impact work that is often the very first of its kind, while also steering the internal operations and business side of the agency. Previously, as EP at VIRTUE Worldwide, he spearheaded the global Coca-Cola Creations platform—launching limited-edition, innovative products like Starlight, Dreamworld, Ultimate, and K-Wave. His work has been featured in numerous industry publications, and clients consistently ask for him by name for otherwise impossible projects.

Carolina has more than ten years of experience in the advertising industry, with a career path that evolved from Creative Producer to Copywriter and ultimately CCO. She has led award-winning work recognized at major national and international festivals, including Desachate, Campana de Oro, IAB, Effie Awards, FIAP and El Ojo de Iberoamérica. Her work has also been featured in Lürzer’s Archive and Communication Arts. In 2016, she made history as the first Uruguayan creative to win Gold in the Young Lions Print competition at Cannes Lions. Committed to giving back to the industry, Carolina has been actively involved in education. She has taught at Brother Montevideo and currently lectures in the final project program of the Communication degree at Universidad Católica del Uruguay. She has also served as a jury member at several international advertising festivals. With a background in advertising communication, journalism and audiovisual production, she has worked on strategic, social impact and commercial projects for major international and national brands.

Hi, I’m Ines. I’ve been working as a creative for over 20 years, developing ideas and stories for a wide range of brands and contexts. I spent many years in agency life, leading teams and staying closely involved in the creative process – from first idea to final execution. Today, I work independently and flexibly, collaborating with different agencies, clients, and creatives depending on the project. It keeps me close to the work, open to new perspectives, and very much hands-on. That same mindset guides how I approach jury work. I’m drawn to ideas with a clear point of view, strong craft, and real intent. I take the time to understand what an idea is trying to say – and whether it actually lands. The best ideas are the ones that make me quietly jealous.

Vanessa Queiroz Designer & Creative Director, Co-founder of Colletivo Vanessa Queiroz is a designer and Creative Director, co-founder of Colletivo, a Brazilian design and branding studio with over 22 years of experience. The studio is recognized for its work in branding, visual identity, illustration, and packaging, delivering tailored solutions that generate real impact for brands. Colletivo has developed projects for clients such as Ambev, Itaú, Spotify, Natura, Licor 43, Vulcabras, and leading entertainment initiatives. Vanessa leads New Business and Relationship areas, with a strong focus on brand management and communication, defining and activating brand positioning across multiple touchpoints. She is an active voice in the creative industry, having delivered over 200 lectures in Brazil and internationally. Vanessa has served as a juror at major international awards, including The One Show New York (2022) and LIA – London International Awards (2025), and presided over the Graphic Design jury at the Brazil Design Awards (2020). She has held leadership roles as a director of ABEDESIGN and Brazil Design Awards (2022–2023) and served for ten years on the ADG Brasil board, contributing to multiple editions of the Brazilian Graphic Design Biennial. Her work has been recognized with a Silver Lion at Cannes (2021), three Grand Prix at the Brazil Design Awards, and multiple awards at the Brazilian Graphic Design Biennial.

Martin ist a half German, half Irish Creative Director based in Hamburg. His work is driven by his passion for storytelling and humour. He has worked for many big brands including Volkswagen, o2 and Telekom and has won more than 100 national and international awards.

Over the last decade, Zac has worked across almost every category in the Australian advertising industry. He wears a lot of hats but that’s mainly because he prioritises sun safety. Along the way, he’s helped build brands, win awards and possibly save lives, creating some of Australia’s most effective campaigns for clients including Cancer Institute NSW, Audi, Budget Direct, Tooheys, Unilever and Vodafone.

Aaron has over 20 years' experience in Advertising, Digital, and Customer Experience, working in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. As a Digital specialist, he has been at the forefront of changes in web platforms and culture, launching apps and mobile-first experiences, growing and engaging social communities, and helping brands make the most of these moments and shifts. He has also been an early adopter of emerging technologies, creating an augmented reality (AR) experience for Valentine's Day in 2009, a wearable mood blanket in 2014, and an AI memory maker in 2019. His best work often transcends traditional advertising mediums, including a treehouse restaurant, a 5-metre-tall pair of lungs, and pollution-destroying superhero capes. He has also designed award-winning experiences, such as an unequal website that addresses pay disparity, a mobile app for fishing that boosts water safety, and a white paper about combating pollution that clears the air.

Sara Goldsmith is a SVP, Creative Director at Arnold who leads with insight and empathy—building disruptive, multi-channel platforms that move brands forward. Over the course of her career, she’s led work for some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including Progressive, Planet Fitness, Dunkin’, New Balance, Sam’s Club, Bank of America, Santander, Capital One, Strayer University, and Great Wolf Lodge. Most recently, she led a brand relaunch and visual identity for Norwegian Cruise Line. As a leader, Sara is deeply invested in growing talent and building collaborative creative teams. Sara is especially proud of her pro bono work supporting BAGLY, Boston’s LGBTQ+ Youth Alliance. Trained as an art director and designer, she also brings a unique creative lens shaped by her background as a classical pianist and competitive boxer. Her greatest creative achievement to date is raising three spirited children.

Karo Gómez is a Social Media expert with a profound understanding of the cultural pulse in Social Media.

With over 13 years of experience shaping content-led strategies rooted in culture, creative relevance, and measurable impact.

Currently, she leads day-to-day social operations across community management, content, and data teams. Previously, she held regional and international strategy roles at DiDi Global Media.Monks, and GREY.

Karo has served as a jury member at Cannes Lions, AME Awards, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, The One Club, and PHNX, bringing a strong effectiveness-driven lens to creative work.

Madalena Gonçalves is an award-winning Senior Art Director at McCann New York. Originally from Portugal, she began her career in 2018 at Havas London after graduating from the London College of Communication. She later moved to Milan to join LePub, where she developed campaigns for renowned global brands such as Netflix, Toblerone, Oreo, Sephora, and Heineken. Her work has been recognized at prestigious industry events including the Cannes Lions. If she weren’t a creative today, you’d probably find her working as a swimming teacher.

Pancho González is the Co-Founder & CCO at Inbrax (the most awarded indie agency in Chile). MBA at the Berlin School. Worldwide winning creative director and global speaker and professor. More than 300 recognitions: Cannes, ADC, LIA, One Show, NYF, FIAP, El Ojo, Effie, Webby, Echo, The Drum, Caples, AME, Epica, ANDY, Cresta, AdStar, IAB Mixx, WINA, Creativepool, etc. Juror everywhere: Cannes (twice), D&AD, Clio, One Show, NYF, ADC, LIAA, Dubai Lynx, Caples, Effie, Webbys, AdStars, Cresta, FIAP, etc. Top 25 CCO and Top 100 Creative Leader Creativepool 2024-25. Top One Creative Director, Top 10 ECD Bestadsontv 2021/2025. Indie Agency of The Year at TopFICE 22-23-24 & Agency of The Year 2025. Board member at IAB Chile, Empresas Creativas de Chile and member of Icare Marketing Circle.

Juan Pedro (JP) González is a Creative Director at R/GA whose intersectional approach to creativity bridges brand storytelling and digital product design. His experience across Multicultural, General Market, Regional, and Product Design roles has earned recognition from Cannes, Effie, and the London International Awards. He’s led creative for brands including Target, Domino’s, YouTube, and PayPal—bringing a storyteller’s sensibility to every platform where people and products meet.

Daniel Granatta is originally from Spain and has over 25 years of experience working with ideas and innovation in diverse contexts such as advertising agencies, consulting firms, startups, and his own company. Throughout his advertising career, he has been recognized and has served as juror at the industry's most prestigious awards. Granatta is also a speaker, author, and columnist for various magazines and blogs, as well as a professor at universities and schools in Spain, United States, Colombia, and Mexico. In 2021, he published his memoir, "A Creative Life," an engaging account of his experiences as a creative professional, father, and immigrant. In his spare time, he teaches people how to live a more creative life through his TikTok account: please like, follow, share.

Luke Alexander-Grose is an award-winning strategist from the UK, now based in Brooklyn as Strategy Director at Mischief. A TED speaker and published poet, he approaches advertising as both art and influence.

His work has been recognized by leading industry bodies including the IPA Effectiveness Awards, British Arrows, Webbys, and the APG. Through his writing and public speaking, Luke explores how brands can move at the speed of culture while staying grounded in human truth.

Thiago “Tai” Gueler is a Creative Director and copywriter with more than 15 years of experience building ideas that connect brands with culture and business results. Throughout his career he has worked at agencies such as Ogilvy, GUT, Publicis, DPZ, VML and F.biz, leading integrated campaigns for global brands including Mercado Livre, McDonald’s, Red Bull, Ray-Ban and Motorola. His work has been recognized at major international festivals such as Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio and LIA. Beyond advertising, Tai is also a professor at Redhook School of Creatives, where he teaches courses focused on award-winning ideas and creative thinking. Known for combining strategic thinking with strong craft and cultural relevance, he enjoys leading teams, shaping ideas from concept to execution, and building creative work that delivers both impact and results.

Diego is 40 years old and has over 20 years of experience. He has a background in art direction and cinema. Throughout his career, he has created for brands such as Burger King, KFC, Vans, Mars, AB InBev, and others. At Cannes Lions, he won over 20 Lions, including several Golds. In total, Diego has won over 100 awards at the world's biggest festivals.

With over two decades of experience spanning both agency and client sides, I am currently Strategy Director at Fbiz. My journey started with a love for advertising and grew into a broader expertise in marketing and brand building. For me, creative communication is the ultimate bridge between brands and people, and the true engine for long-term growth. After all these years in the industry, my core motivation hasn't changed: I still get just as excited by a breakthrough idea today as I did at the very beginning of my career.

Jiro Hayashi's recent work has earned him global recognition, including Cannes Lions shortlists and medals from the New York Festivals and Mad Stars across the digital, creative data, and audio categories. These achievements build upon the momentum of the agency's historic first-ever Cannes Lions Mobile Grand Prix in 2017. Beyond his award-winning projects, Hayashi actively contributes to the global creative community. He served as a Shortlist Juror for Cannes Lions 2024 and a Digital & Marketing Juror for White Square 2025, where he shared his creative benchmarks with fellow creators from around the world. Hayashi frequently shares his expertise both domestically and internationally, including a speaking engagement in Seoul where he engaged with the Korean creative industry. These experiences have cemented his reputation as a leader dedicated to both creative excellence and meaningful social impact.

Nian is a Chinese Senior Creative at Publicis London. Before moving to the UK, she had nearly 10 years of experience working in Germany. During her professional career, she has worked for agencies like HeimatTBWA\, Jung von Matt, Grabarz & Partner and Havas, serving a diversity of brands including Burger King, Getty Images, BMW and Coca Cola. Her work has been recognized by award shows such as D&AD, The One Show, Cannes Lions, Clio, Webby, NYF and LIA, and has been picked up by The New York Times, Independent, Fox News, ABC, Rolling Stone, Vogue, Entertainment Weekly, etc. She herself also had the honor of being selected as one of the Next Creative Leaders by The One Club and the 3% Movement.

Kerrie Heckel has a range of experience in the creative field, progressing from Graphic Designer to Associate Creative Director at Bakery Agency. Kerrie started working at The Brand Collective, Inc. in 2016 as a Graphic Designer before joining T3 as an Art Direction Intern in 2017. Kerrie then progressed to roles such as Associate Art Director, Art Director, and Senior Art Director at T3. In 2021, they joined Bakery Agency as an Art Director and later became a Senior Art Director and now holds the position of Associate Creative Director.

I’m Lukas, a Creative Director Copy and copywriter born and raised in Hamburg. Coming from graffiti and hip-hop culture, I value authenticity, attitude, and digging for real stories. That shapes my curiosity for people and culture. My work includes brands such as Volkswagen, Porsche, Amazon, and Burger King, with a recent focus on health through Leaps by Bayer. It’s an honor to be part of the New York Festivals Shortlist Jury again this year.

Started in the industry in 2019 at Wien Nord as an intern and later as a Graphic Designer. After the merger with Serviceplan Austria in 2020, promoted to Junior Art Director. Expanded and deepened this position for two more years at Merlicek & Partner from 2021 to 2023. In June 2023, a homecoming followed as Art Director at Wien Nord Serviceplan.

Mariel Hernández is a Bolivian creative working in the United States. In just a few years since arriving to the U.S. she has built her career across Miami, New York, and Texas, working in both the general and Hispanic markets. She is currently an Art Director at Dieste in Dallas, Texas. She has been part of creative teams at leading agencies such as Alma DDB, The Community, Civic Entertainment Group, and Ogilvy New York, collaborating with brands including Walmart, Ford, Dove Men, Essie, and AT&T. Mariel is a member and Co-Lead of Círculo Creativo USA and the founder of Círculo Creativo Bolivia (2024). Her work has been recognized by Clio Awards, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, The One Show, and Muse Awards, and she actively promotes global opportunities for Bolivian creatives through festivals such as Cannes Lions, The One Club for Creativity, and London International Awards.

Andrea Hernando is a Creative Supervisor at Cheil Spain, with extensive experience in top international agencies such as TBWA and McCann Worldgroup. She has worked with leading global brands including Disney Channel, McDonald’s, Mazda, Movistar, Telefónica, Real Madrid, Iberia, AliExpress, and Samsung, creating campaigns that combine strategic insight with impactful creativity. Her work has been recognized by prestigious awards including Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio, El Sol, One Show, and LIA. Andrea has also served as a juror for international festivals such as New York Festivals, Lisbon Ad Festival, Immortal Awards, and Digital Young Lions Spain. Additionally, she has been invited multiple times to judge final creative projects at leading Spanish universities, mentoring the next generation of talent.

Katie Hobler is Associate Creative Director at Active Theory. She guides projects from pitch and concept through delivery, setting the creative direction and shaping experiences that blend narrative and innovation. Katie’s work spans clients including Google, Spotify, Dior, Tripadvisor, Barkman Honey, the U.S. Space Force, and Anduril. She led Slosh Seltzer, an internal project that won Awwwards’ Site of the Month, and helped push the interactivity of Spotify’s Wrapped Party through fresh UX and visual design approaches. With a focus on problem solving and storytelling, Katie brings clarity and creativity to every challenge turning open-ended ideas into engaging digital experiences.

Manuel “Manu” Hoffmann is an award-winning creative at TogetherWith Louisville with more than 15 years of experience across the U.S., U.S. Hispanic, and LATAM markets. His work has been recognized by top industry award shows, including NYF, Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, The Clio Awards, The Andy’s, Fast Company, and the Radio Mercury Awards. He has also judged globally respected award shows such as Clio Health, Effie Awards Latin America, the Effie Global Best of the Best Awards, New York Festival, MAD Stars Asia, and The Telly Awards. Before joining TogetherWith, Manu served as the South America Pacific HUB Regional Creative Director for General Motors at McCann, leading creative across five markets. Prior to that, he was a Creative Director at Lanfranco & Cordova New York, a reknown purpose-driven creative agency. He currently lives in New Jersey with his dog, Mila, and enjoys everything the Garden State has to offer.

Ross Hopman serves as Head of Production & Creative Partnerships at duotone audio group, an award-winning music agency with studios spanning New York, Los Angeles, and Mexico City. With music in his DNA—performing in bands since he was a child and watching his father creative direct commercials since a young age—Ross forged his own musical path into the industry after studying music at Northeastern University. His professional journey has yielded a collection of industry accolades including Cannes Lions, Clios, LIA awards, One Show pencils, and an Emmy. His portfolio features memorable Super Bowl commercials with stars like Jim Carrey and Will Ferrell, alongside branded content for global giants including Dell, Rolex, Apple, and Verizon. His reimagining of Coldplay's "Fix You" for Donate Life's campaign helped lead to an increase in organ donation registrations by 698%. Ross continues to push boundaries in advertising music, bringing fresh perspectives and exceptional craft to every project.

Chloe is a seasoned Strategist dreaming and creating out of Montreal with experience cracking briefs and crafting campaigns for some of the coolest brands. Her background and experience spans marketing, creative and PR, allowing her to float seamlessly between worlds. She works hand-in-hand with Creatives, transforming the complex into simple and the mundane into magic. She's passionate about the cultural zeitgeist, keeping up with ever-changing trends and unpacking their implications for her clients. She strives to create impactful, newsjacking campaigns that use the power of creativity to solve problems and connect with the experiences of real people.

Claudia Illan is a senior copywriter whose childhood dream was becoming an actress and now she gets to act out scripts and stunts in front of a tough crowd… her cd’s. Sometimes she gets a tear, oftentimes she gets a laugh. While it’s unlikely that she’ll ever win an Oscar, her work has been awarded at multiple advertising shows, NYF, Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Eurobest… She started her career at Publicis Milan working for big clients, like Heineken and Diesel, alongside great talents. She continued to work with great talents at Marcel Paris and now at Lola Mullenlowe. She has also married her art director. That’s how much she loves her job. Or maybe she loves her job because she gets to spend 24/7 with her partner coming up with things that can hopefully change things.

David began his career in Hollywood, working on independent film productions as a writer, director, and set designer before moving into international marketing. Over the past 25 years, he’s led campaigns for brands such as BMW, Audi, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, ASICS, Ray-Ban, Beck’s, and Johnson & Johnson. Before founding his agency and production studio, LURE, he served as Creative Director at VICE Media. A Cannes Lions, Effie, and Webby Award winner, ADC member, and one of W&V’s Top 100 Marketers in Germany, David believes that in the age of AI, marketers must stop competing with advertising—and start creating brand stories and experiences worthy of a Netflix show.

With 15 years of fascination for the strategy discipline, Jeremy Jackson (“J.J.”) operates at the space where culture meets commerce and people find purpose. As a Group Director of Integrated Strategy at Dentsu, Jeremy utilizes a "wide-lens" philosophy to deconstruct complex systems and lead audiences through narratives rooted in conviction. His portfolio includes a diverse range of work, from high-concept experiential to social and influencer programs, earning him accolades spanning from Cannes & the Clios, to the Webbys & Shortys. A self-described "fanatic for the why," Jeremy’s methodology is defined by a relentless curiosity and an ability to read the room, allowing him to recalibrate brand energy and deliver work that grabs headlines and drives cultural relevance.

Viktor Jacobsson is an award-winning creative leader with global experience across iconic brands including Apple, Nike, Google, and Uber. He is currently Global Creative Director at Uber, based in Amsterdam. His work has been recognized at all major award shows, including multiple Golds at Cannes Lions, D&AD, Effies, and Clios, as well as an Emmy nomination and screenings at Tribeca and Sundance. Previously, Viktor worked at Media Arts Lab, 72andSunny, Mother, Ogilvy, and Åkestam Holst, leading award-winning work for brands such as IKEA, Audi, IBM, and Beats by Dre. He has served on major award juries, spoken at industry events, and mentored emerging talent.

I’m a Colombian creative director and former engineer who transitioned into advertising out of a passion for storytelling. Throughout my thirteen-year career, I’ve collaborated with global brands such as Coca-Cola, Sprite, Powerade, Heineken, Budweiser, Stella Artois, Cerveza Corona, and Cerveza Victoria. My entrepreneurial spirit also led me to found my own chocolate brand, a project where I oversee the intersection of product design and brand experience. This complements my independent work in art and digital entertainment, where I continue to explore new narrative formats in the digital space.

During nearly 20 years in advertising, I’ve worked for various agencies and brands. Recently proud winner of Grand Prix Cannes Lion 2025.

Claire Joy (the award-winning Senior Copywriter formerly known as Claire Herselman) has spent over a decade building a strong reputation in the Australasian advertising scene, moving between top-tier agencies to work on major global and local brands. Her work tends to live where sharp wit meets actual human insight, whether that’s using dark humour to tackle road safety in “Booze Maths,” celebrating the defiance of the NZ Paralympics with “We’re Not Normal,” or keeping fingers licked and viewers tickled with some of the most loved KFC spots in Australia. Known for her sense of humour, insightful writing, and infectious sense of fun, you can feel her personality ooze through every campaign she touches.

Hello, I’m Rodrigo Campello, but most people call me Judá. I’m a multidisciplinary creative and Senior Art Director with over 16 years of experience, blending storytelling, design, and technology to create emotionally engaging campaigns. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Advertising and a postgraduate diploma in Digital Projects, and I’m driven by ideas with purpose and a strong commitment to visual excellence. I’ve worked at agencies such as Memac Ogilvy, BETC HAVAS, W/McCann, and DPZ, and also at Rede Globo, Brazil’s largest TV network. Throughout my career, I’ve developed campaigns and innovation projects for brands like Coca-Cola, TIM, UFC, L'Oréal, Petrobrás, Itaú, and Rock in Rio, with a strong focus on concept development, craft, and cross-platform storytelling. My work has been recognized at international festivals including Clio Awards, El Ojo, Lürzer’s Archive, Shorty Awards, PromaxBDA, CCSP, Apple Creativity Awards, and TikTok Ad Awards. And unlike most Brazilians, I prefer tennis to soccer.

Apoorva Kale is a copywriter and Associate Creative Director with experience in New York, Toronto, Singapore and Thailand. Some of the agencies he has worked at include Rethink, BBDO New York, BBH New York and 72andSunny. He has created work for brands like BMW, Gillette, P&G, Eli Lilly and Goldman Sachs while also being awarded with three Cannes Lions awards for creativity.

I am an NYC-based creative with work spanning print, digital, 360 campaigns, video, and experiential. I bring a contemporary, social-first perspective to categories including food & beverage, beauty, and lifestyle, informed by a strong understanding of culture and emerging trends. My creative approach blends strategic insight with a personal passion for fashion, styling, and innovative fine arts, allowing me to develop concepts that feel both intentional and visually forward. Known for delivering bold, thoughtful ideas and elevating a brand’s aesthetic with clarity and purpose, I consistently push work to a higher creative standard.

I'm a CD/CW at Arnold, working mostly on Progressive. I've been in Boston my whole career, which is long damn time, working at agencies big and small. I've won some shiny advertising trophies, but I'm still holding out hope for a Nobel Prize. Just need to brush up on physics. Or peace.

Internationally awarded creative, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Hijinks - a creative agency that’s proudly female and Queer founded. An avid storyteller, Tamryn creates campaigns that shift perceptions, change behaviours and get talked about. A truly integrated creative, she’s made work in every medium imaginable and even invented a few new ones. Tamryn has led creative teams and created award-winning campaigns in-house at YouTube and at some of the best agencies in the world including, BBH, Colenso BBDO, VML, TBWA and Publicis.

I’m a creative from Dublin, Ireland who is currently creative-ing at London at Mother, via TBWA\Media Arts Lab and Droga5 Sydney. I love making work that makes the world a better place. I also love making work that’s fun and kinda dumb.

Multidisciplinary creative of Mexican and South Korean origin, driven by Latina power and a global perspective. Her career is built around creativity not only as a profession, but as a way of thinking, working, and moving through the world. Her work spans advertising, fashion, and social projects, with a focus on ideas that shape culture rather than simply producing campaigns. Her work has been recognized at international festivals including Cannes Lions, The One Show, Clio Awards, Cíclope, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, Círculo Creativo, and Clube de Criação. In 2023, she was selected for Cannes Lions See It Be It, and in 2024 became one of the first Mexican creatives to win The One Show’s global portfolio competition, Next Creative Leaders, both programs focused on advancing female leadership in creativity. Fashion is a core part of her creative voice. In 2022, she founded Baron®, a menswear brand created to challenge macho stereotypes and expand contemporary masculinity.

Kit’s worked in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia for more than 25 years, he is non-traditional, highly media agnostic, obsessed with creating work that’s not only innovative but also highly effective. He has been the key creative leader behind McDonald’s, VISA, Gillette, Braun, OLAY, Mercedes-Benz, SC Johnson, Bayer, DJI, Vivo, Darlie, 3M, Platinum Guild, Master Kang, Lay’s, Mountain Dew and Hong Kong Disneyland. His work for Gillette ‘Shave Sexy’ and ‘Scandal Shave’ won more than 50 Awards and ranked WARC 22nd Smartest Campaign Worldwide in 2014, the campaign also selected by “Thoughtful China” as one of The Best Ads of China 2014. Joined Publicis Groupe in 2024, created McDonald’s market distruptive CFC campaign and award winning ‘Found in the Shadows’ and ‘Oreo The Art of Play’. Over the years, his dedication for great work has resulted in local and international awards, including Cannes, Clio, One Show, New York Festival, Cristal Festival, Spikes Asia, Ad Fest, WARC, AME and EFFIE. Nominated for the Greater China Creative Person of Year by Campaign Brief for 4 times, and won the Silver Award in 2014. Kit chaired the Hong Kong 4A Creative Committee for Kam Fan Award 2018, playing a central role in the betterment of the industry. He was on numerous jury panels for the prestigious award shows - Internationally at the New York Festival, One Show Asia and London International Awards, and domestically at China Effie, Great Wall Advertising Awards and LongXi.

Dan is an award-winning, 30-something ACD / Copywriter who joined McKinney in late 2024 after stints at Droga5 and 360i. Throughout his years in advertising, he’s worked on Paramount+, Essentia, Chase Sapphire, 7-Eleven, FTX, and OREO. Originally born on Long Island, New York, Dan has lived up and down the east coast (though mostly up) and is an avid sports fan. He’ll talk your ears off about the NY Giants, the NY Rangers, the soap opera that is the NBA, and anything really. His biggest weakness is that he sometimes forgets that he’s colorblind. It’s a good thing he’s not an art director.

Diana brings a wealth of experience as a CCO, boasting an impressive track record with over 80 advertising awards from prestigious national and international festivals, including Cannes Lions (France), El Ojo de Iberoamérica (Argentina), El Sol (Spain), and more. She has also been invited to serve on the jury boards of renowned festivals such as New York Festivals, Cannes Lions, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, and others.

Joon Kwon is the CEO and Co-Founder of LR Seoul, a creative agency established in 2021. He began his career at GREY Group in 2008, later moving to Geometry Global and then serving as Executive Creative Director at Havas Group. Over his 18 years in the creative industry, he has led numerous campaigns for global brands such as BMW, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, and Heineken, consistently delivering work that combines strategic insight with creative excellence. As a creative director committed to building a better society, he has pursued social value through ideas and creativity, and his work in this field has been recognized by leading global design awards. A respected leader in the industry, he also serves as a jury member for various international advertising festivals as well as major global design awards.

Creative Director at Publicis Groupe Southeast Asia, Henrique is a passionate Brazilian creative and ad nerd. Based in Singapore, he's always looking to raise the creative bar across the region for brands such as Heineken, Tiger Beer, P&G, KFC, and many more.

Isabel Lapp is Managing Director at Scholz & Friends, part of the VML global network within WPP. With 20+ years in advertising, she drives creative excellence across diverse teams and global brands. Since joining Scholz & Friends in 2018, Isabel has led award?winning campaigns that blend strategic insight with bold ideas. Her career spans leading agencies including Grey, DDB, JWT Worldwide, McCann Erickson and more. As a frequent jury member at major advertising festivals, she champions innovation and effectiveness in the industry. Isabel’s leadership is defined by a passion for impactful storytelling and a commitment to elevating creative standards.

Cecilie (aka Cille) is a Danish creative with 8+ years of experience in advertising across Copenhagen, New York, Amsterdam, and London. She has jury experience from both Copenhagen and NYC. In summer 2025, she left her role as Associate Creative Director at Grey to begin freelancing. Collaborating with new creative partners also opened up space to explore the side projects she had been craving to develop for a long time.

Vicky is driven by a profound passion for discovering impactful ideas, compelling insights, and innovative avenues that craft fresh and unforgettable consumer experiences. Her expertise led to invitations as a jury member for ADfest 2025, Spikes Asia 2014 and 2018. Over time, she has been sought after for numerous other prestigious awards. Vicky possesses a robust skill set encompassing Digital Strategy, Art Direction, Mobile and Integrated Marketing. Since 2018, serving as the Executive Creative Director at Medialand, she has led six creative teams comprising over 30 creative members. Under her guidance and collaborative efforts, they have garnered numerous international and Taiwanese awards, including the One Show Asia Award, LIA Chinese Creativity, and the Effie Greater China Award. To date, their achievements proudly boast 3 Grand Prix, 32 Gold awards, and a collection of over 200 trophies.

Tobias is a Senior Art Director with over 12 years of experience across leading agencies. Coming from a background in professional film production and cinematography, he learned early on to think in shots, edits and timing — a mindset that still shapes his work today. He has developed integrated campaigns across film, social and digital platforms for national and international brands in the automotive, food, finance and non-profit sectors, including social impact initiatives. His work has won awards including Cannes Lions, Clio, LIA, ADC, New York Festivals and The One Show.

Svea Lehment is a Hamburg-born Senior Concept Creative with over 10 years of experience in advertising, focusing on Social Media. She has worked at Grabarz & Partner, Serviceplan and FischerAppelt, gaining experience across brand communication and PR, and returned to Jung von Matt in 2024 as part of the team developing the Social Media Unit. Driven by a long-standing interest in storytelling, she creates social content that connects with people through humor and emotion.

Flor Leibaschoff has a thing for ideas and attention to detail. She is a passionate storyteller. She was the first Hispanic Female Chief Creative Officer in the US Hispanic Market. She has been named Shining Star by the American Advertising Federation and Woman To Watch by DMN (Data. Strategy. Technology), New York. After working in the industry for over 25 years, Flor co-founded and leads BeautifulBeast creatively as Chief Creative Officer. BeautifulBeast was recently named Agency of the Year, Southwest Silver, by Ad Age Small Agency Awards.

I’m a Brazilian-born Senior Art Director, currently based in Toronto, Canada, with 15+ years of experience and one obsession: big ideas that win. I believe creativity is power—and craft is what turns a great concept into something impossible to ignore. I think fast, chase opportunity, and stay hands-on from the first spark to the final pixel. I’ve worked at agencies including Ogilvy, Publicis, FCB, and BBH, shaping work for brands like Budweiser, Jeep, Levi’s, and Puma across lifestyle and automotive. I push for brave thinking, sharper storytelling, and the extra 10% of detail that makes work feel world-class. As a NYF judge, I’m here to champion fearless originality, standout craft, and ideas that truly earn their impact.

María Lempicka is an Associate Creative Director (Art) at Wieden+Kennedy Mexico. Originally from Spain, she creates culturally driven work that blends strong visual craft with sharp conceptual thinking earning recognition at major international festivals.

Global Marketing Expert | China Growth Expert With 8 years of experience in Digital Advertising, Jay is well-versed in strategy for global marketing in-bound and out-bound Mainland China. Jay is experienced in solving brand advertising needs without any boundaries. Bringing his innovative, entrepreneurial background into the world of advertising, he stands out in providing marketing solutions across different mediums.

Gabriel Lepesteur is a Group Creative Director at LePub Milan. Ranked #3 Most Awarded Copywriter Worldwide in 2024 and #10 Best Copywriter at Cannes 2023, he has been creating innovative and award-winning campaigns for global brands such as Oreo, Xbox, Audi, Pepsi, Adidas, Olympic Games, Samsung, Bang & Olufsen, among others. In 2023, Gabriel was one of the creative leads behind one of the most successful campaigns in Mondelez's history – Oreo Cheat Cookies. This campaign received global acclaim, ranking #2 in The Drum Global Rankings 2024 and #9 in the WARC Creative 100 Rankings 2024 – helping Oreo to become Brand of the Year at the New York Festivals 2023 and Saatchi & Saatchi to be #7 Best Agency in Europe at Cannes 2023. Gabriel's work has been recognized at all the major creative and effectiveness award festivals, including 4x Cannes Gold Lions, 2x Eurobest Grand Prix and 1x New York Festivals Grand Prix, as well as over 200 trophies from D&AD, Clio, One Show, LIA, ADC Annual, Webby Awards, ADC Europe, Epica, Effie, ADC Germany, Brazilian Creative Club and more. Throughout his 19+ years of experience, Gabriel has held roles in Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Brazil at 180 Amsterdam, Saatchi & Saatchi, Serviceplan, We Are Social, Leo Burnett, Africa Creative and Ogilvy.

International awards jury member and Advertising, Marketing, PR expert with 18+ years of global experience and innovative data-driven growth leadership.

Creative maverick. Strategic disruptor. Change maker. James Keng Lim is a seasoned creative communications polymath with B2B, B2C, sports marketing, and healthcare experience. A decorated leader, his work consistently garner recognition at international and regional creative, marketing effectiveness, digital, healthcare and PR award shows. Beyond the accolades, James Keng Lim regularly shapes the industry as a judge at award shows such as The One Show, London International Awards, Clio Health, New York Festivals, EFFIES, SABRE, Lisbon Health, MADStars, Creative Circle Awards, amongst many others. Passionate about driving positive change, he helps brands scale and connect with their audiences by integrating AI, trend-based innovation, data and human truths across all communication and marketing disciplines.

Currently PR Director at Valtech Radon, Frida has more than 13 years of experience within PR and creative work. Combining creativity and PR expertise, she specializes in innovative work that earns its way to people’s hearts. She’s created award winning international campaigns for clients such as Samsung, Pantene, Wikipedia and Eton Shirts. With more than 30 creative award recognitions her work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, Cresta, CLIO, One Show and Eurobest. Outside client work she’s a reoccurring teacher at Berghs School of Communication, ranked amongst the top creative schools worldwide, where she teaches creative ideation and acts as a coach during exam projects – mentoring the next generation of creatives.

With over 25 years of experience in branding, advertising, and design, Holger Lindhardt has worked with some of the industry’s most prestigious agencies and global brands. Starting his career as an Art Director at BBDO in Düsseldorf, he advanced to leadership roles such as Group Head Art at Grabarz & Partner, Executive Creative Director at Scholz & Friends, and a 15-year tenure at Philipp und Keuntje, where he led award-winning campaigns for Astra Bier and Jägermeister.??Now Group Creative Director at BCG BrightHouse in Berlin, Holger focuses on purpose-driven branding and societal impact initiatives. His work has earned numerous national and international accolades, including awards from the New York Festivals and Clios.??A Graduate Designer and member of the Art Directors Club Germany and Europe, Holger is driven by his passion for creativity and design, creating impactful campaigns for brands like Opel, Audi, Telekom, Volkswagen, and Jägermeister.

Born in Sicily. Moved to Milan by need, back home by choice. Art director turned planner, now a creative strategist.

I started out at Jung von Matt, hopped between agencies and freelance life, and somewhere along the way discovered that words suit me better than silence. I enjoy turning complicated thoughts into simple ideas and simple ideas into something people actually care about. I’ve seen many creative processes, survived many brainstorms and always get excited about a really good thought. I like smart concepts, clear thinking and work that doesn’t take itself too seriously, because the best ideas usually come with a smile.

Creative Director at GUT Mexico, Cannes Lions, Clio and One Show winner, crafting culturally driven global brand work

Santiago Losada is an award-winning Creative Director and strategic design leader with over a decade of experience across the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. Currently serving as Creative Manager and Director at Monks. Previously, Santiago held leadership roles at global powerhouses such as Grey London, McCann, Ogilvy, and Leo Burnett, directing high-impact campaigns for brands like Mercedes-Benz and Corona. A recognized global authority, Santiago is an Executive Member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) and has served as a jury member for 15 prestigious festivals, including the Webby Awards and New York Festivals. A published thought leader on AI and emotional intelligence, Santiago combines strategic vision with innovative design to drive the evolution of digital creativity.

Dakota Rae Lowe is a social strategist and creative leader shaping how brands show up in culture. As a VP of Social at Edelman, she leads campaigns, creator strategies, and social programs for one of the agency’s largest global clients, Unilever — including clients like Hellmann’s, Dove, Degree, Knorr, and Vaseline — while also serving as a New York market lead, helping drive Edelman’s big footprint in the Big Apple. During her 5-9, she writes Recreation, a fun Substack all about strategy and culture.

She’s one of Taiwan’s most awarded creative leaders and won the Best Creative Person in advertising in Taiwan in 2021. Lulu is an ad copywriter, author, a college lecturer and a wordsmith who has been in love with advertisement for over a decade. She deeply believes that “The greatest creativities are hidden in the tiny bits of everyday life”, because all the charming perspectives of her strategies come from the keen eye of looking into people’s hearts. She’s not only a judge for major domestic awards in Taiwan, but also for international awards such as Cannes Lions, ADAY’s Awards GLOBAL JUROR, London international Awards and Coach, ONE Asia, ONE Show , Dubai Lynx, Spikes Asia, IMMORTAL Awards, Shot Awards, AdFest, MAD Stars and Young stars, AME Awards and NEW YORK FESTIVALS, CICLOPE Asia Pacific, SPOTLIGHT AWARDS, Gerety Awards, Kancil Awards Digital Judges Chairman, Times Awards. On the creative side, Lulu has been awarded by the Best Slogan Award, SHIAF AWARD-WINNING WORK,TIMES AWARDS, Long Xi Awards, CLICK AWARDS, The WORK, ECI Awards, MAD Stars, Spikes Asia, MCEI, 4A Creative Awards, Effie Greater China Awards, ONE Show Greater China Awards, LIA China, Times Awards, DAwards.

Senior Creative Art Director with 12+ years of experience in integrated and digital advertising. Passionate about transforming human insights and cultural behavior into meaningful, beautiful, and effective creative work.

In the business of attention, raised by pop culture, here to get the world talking. Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Sounds Fun. A full service agency answering conventional marketing problems in unconventional ways. Grand Prix winning GCD, ADWEEK Creative 100, Business Insider Rising Star, #28 on The Drum 100 Best CDs on the Planet, Drums Future 50, Cannes Jury 23, Drum Jury 23, D&AD #15 ranking CD 2023, New York Festivals Grand Jury 24, Young Guns Jury 25. I'm all about iconic, people first ideas that add value while simultaneously making the world a little bit more colorful. Why be still when you can be sparkling? I'm the Pop Sensation, here to make you feel something.

Christian joined McKinney at the end of 2024, bringing with him a wealth of experience from his previous roles at leading agencies. At Droga5, he worked on campaigns for major clients like Coors Light, Paramount Plus, Essentia, and Chase Sapphire. His time at Dentsu included a Super Bowl commercial with Larry David, the launch of 7-Eleven’s national coffee campaign and numerous social campaigns. Christian also served as a DP and Director at Studio6, where he produced commercial and social content for Havas. An art director by trade and photographer by passion, Christian continues to push creative boundaries across multiple platforms. Throughout his career, Christian has earned recognition for his work from various shows including ADC Awards, Clio, One Show, and Andy Awards.

As an Executive Creative Director and Partner, I bring a strong judging lens shaped by leading culturally resonant, highly effective work across global and local brands including Volkswagen, Coca-Cola and U by Kotex. My work has been recognised at Cannes Lions, Spikes, The Effies, AWARD, The Caples and other major award shows. In recent years, campaigns I’ve led have topped the WARC Effective 100, won multiple Effies, and been awarded across film, craft and positive change categories. My areas of expertise include brand platforms, integrated campaigns, cultural storytelling and work that delivers measurable business impact. I’m a Partner at trans-Tasman independent creative agency jnr., and one of the few female agency owners in the AUNZ industry. As a judge, I value ideas that are original, well-crafted and effective - work that moves culture forward while delivering real results.

Creative director, art and motion designer based in Mexico City, with over a decade of experience across brand building, visual identities, content, and integrated campaigns. Her background began in design and expanded into post-production, motion, editorial, and AI-driven creative development. She currently leads the Post-Production department at Wieden+Kennedy Mexico, collaborating closely with multidisciplinary teams and global brands. Her work has contributed to projects recognized at major international and regional festivals. Outside of advertising, she’s fueled by music, culture, gastronomy, and personal projects.

I’m a Brazilian Senior Art Director based in São Paulo, with over 9 years of experience in the advertising industry. Throughout my career, I’ve taken my skills and love for craft to agencies such as DAVID, Ogilvy, Media.Monks and others, collaborating on projects for local and global brands across different markets. My work has been recognized by international and regional festivals including Cannes Lions, The One Show, Effie Awards and New York Festivals. These experiences have helped shape a consistent perspective on ideas, craft and execution within demanding creative environments.

Paulo Mariano is a Senior Art Director based in Lisbon, currently working at O Escritório. With over 20 years of experience across Europe and Latin America, his work focuses on visual communication and storytelling — particularly in crafting integrated campaigns, activations and product development that capture attention and present compelling brand narratives. He has collaborated with creative teams at global agencies such as DDB and TBWA, as well as design studios like Solid Dogma, working on international and regional projects for brands including Netflix, EDP, Emirates, Benfica, Gatorade, Super Bock, Lidl and Banco do Brasil. His work has been recognized by ADCE, Effie, CCSP, CCP, Lusófonos and Lürzer’s Archive, most recently featured in the 200 Best Digital Artists Worldwide 2025 edition. Paulo has served as a jury member and pre-selection juror for awards including FIAP, Clube Criativos Portugal and AIVA Communicator Awards.

Partner and CEO of Boiler Hub, a group of production companies with a strong focus on craft and the curation of exceptional talent. Founded in 2024 under Juliana’s leadership and that of two other partners, in less than two years the hub has brought together eight production companies: Boiler Filmes, Crème Company, Balma Films, Boiler Entretenimento, Cara de Conteúdo, Ilusionistas, Stratostorm, and People. Juliana has also been a Partner and Executive Producer at Boiler Filmes since 2022, when she joined to restructure the operation and the directors’ roster. With more than 20 years of experience in the industry, she has worked since 2013 in prospecting, planning, and developing strategies for audiovisual production companies and directors. Recently, two projects produced by Juliana gained international recognition, winning awards at several festivals. Carl Sagan’s Message received honors at The One Show, Ciclope Global, Ciclope Latino, Clio Awards, Shots Awards, NYF Advertising Awards, and the D&AD Awards, where it won a Yellow Pencil. The project was also a finalist in the Film Craft category at the Cannes Lions Festival. The second project, VW Gerações, won at Profissionais do Ano and at D&AD (Yellow Pencil), in addition to earning five Lions at Cannes Lions 2024. In 2023, under her leadership, Boiler was named Production Company of the Year at the Caboré Awards. In 2024, Juliana was ranked among the Top Executive Producers in the D&AD rankings. In recent years, she has served as a juror at some of the world’s leading advertising awards, including Ciclope Global, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, Effie Brazil, and FIAP.

Hi, I’m a creative and copywriter currently based in Hamburg. My career path started in London before bringing me here to Germany. I’m fortunate to have worked with some really inspiring brands along the way, including Airbnb, Burger King, and Porsche. A personal highlight was being part of the team that helped introduce the all-electric Porsche Taycan to the world. I believe words are a little bit magic, and when they land just right, you can really feel that connection. They're more than a message; they're a spell. As a judge, that's what I'll be looking for. In a time when our industry is going through profound change, I look forward to seeing the best, most innovative ideas out there.

Christina Mullen, SVP of Strategy at Klick Health, is an accomplished, seasoned marketer with more than 25 years of experience with a focus on healthcare across HCP and patient communications. Her varied background spans brand and engagement strategy as well as earlier career copywriting & creative direction. This has led to a broad skillset with a sharp, strategic approach with unique insights for all the work she leads.

Christina’s expansive career includes leading strategy from global launches and big pharma brands to first commercialization for small biotech and mid cap mature brands. She is an experienced strategist across a wide range of therapeutics including vaccines, oncology, women’s health, cardiology, neurology, and dermatology. Her experience, drive, and uniquely engaging approaches have been key drivers in successful team-building, collaboration, smart ecosystem deployment and seamless launch initiatives.

Christina has also been a published author and featured speaker at prominent conferences such as SXSW, ASCO, iPharma, and DigiPharma East.

Dylan is currently an Associate Creative Director and writer at Arnold where he’s spent the past few years saving people from becoming their parents on behalf of Progressive Insurance. Over his 15-year career he’s learned from the best at agencies like TBWA\Chiat\Day, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Commonwealth//McCann, GSD&M, and McKinney. And his work for brands like Progressive, Little Caesars, Nissan, ESPN, Chevrolet, and Pizza Hut has been recognized with shiny awards from places like Cannes, One Show, ANDY’S, D&AD, ADC, and AICP just to name a few acronyms. When he’s not busy helping make his clients famous, you can find him torturing his daughters with his guitar, gasping for air on the basketball court, and renovating his house in Richmond, Virginia—though not nearly as fast as his wife would like.

Filipe is a creative with 18 years of experience in advertising, known for his passion for storytelling and his focus on ideas that move people and culture. Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, he began his journey in advertising at just 20 years old and has since worked with some of the world’s top agencies, including AlmapBBDO, DM9DDB, Leo Burnett, Grey and McCann NY. Today, Filipe is a Global Creative at Meta Creative X, where he helps lead and shape global campaigns across Meta’s ecosystem. His work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, D&AD, and even a few shiny New York Festival trophies, among others. (He swears he didn’t join advertising just for the trophies, but he also doesn’t mind that they look great on a shelf.) But more than awards, Filipe is driven by the constant pursuit of ideas that make an impact and by the craft of bringing them to life at the highest level.

Prerna Mehra is an award-winning Executive Creative Director known for her boundary-pushing ideas and bold storytelling that blend culture, craft, and technology. With over 15 years of experience across top agencies such as MullenLowe, JWT, Ogilvy, and Cheil, Prerna has built a diverse portfolio spanning Asia and the Middle East - leaving her creative mark on global brands including Samsung, Sprite, Honda, Yum Foods, Philips, Eicher Volvo, Morris Garages, The Emirates, MBRGI, Majid Al Futtaim, Shamal, and Dubai Municipality. Prerna’s career has been defined by a restless pursuit of creative excellence. At Cheil, she established Samsung’s design unit, shaping the brand language for its flagship products and spearheading the launch of the world’s largest Samsung experience center. Later, as Head of Art and Design at MullenLowe MENA, she redefined the agency’s creative standards - leading iconic campaigns that not only won awards but also drove social and policy shifts, including gender-conscious AI initiatives. Her work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, The One Show, Clio Awards, The Webbys, Cresta, Caples, Dubai Lynx, Adfest, Gerety, and more. Named one of MENA’s Women to Watch and Most Influential Youth Marketing Professionals, Prerna’s campaigns have also earned titles such as Campaign of the Year at the NY AME Awards. Beyond her creative leadership, Prerna regularly serves on juries for some of the world’s most respected award shows, including The One Show, LIA, Clio Awards, Gerety, Adfest, Dubai Lynx, and Cannes Lions. She is also an inspiring speaker at leading design schools, where she mentors the next generation of creatives. Outside of advertising, Prerna channels her artistic instincts into fashion - designing for Miss India World and collaborating with global brands - proving that creativity, for her, isn’t just a career but a way of life.

Rajesh brings in over 3 decades of diverse experience across India and Southeast Asia.

As Chief Strategy Officer at specialist healthcare agency Medulla Communications, Rajesh leads strategic planning across pharma and consumer healthcare brands, shaping disruptive platforms and long-term brand properties.

Previously, he has held leadership roles in strategic planning at agencies such as JWT and FCB in India and Jakarta.

He has created campaigns for brands such as Kellogg’s, Fonterra, Castrol, Singapore Tourism, MSD, J& J (Kenvue), Spry (AI based Physiotherapy Start up) and many more.

His work has been recognized at major international festivals, winning honors that include Effie Gold, WARC Awards (Best Brand Purpose), Midas New York (Grand Prix), Dragons of Asia (Best of Asia Pacific) etc.

Rajesh also brings extensive experience from “the other side of the table” as a long-standing awards juror. He has served on multiple effectiveness juries over the years, including Effie, AME Awards, DMA Asia ECHO Awards, Dragons of Asia awards etc.

He also loves capturing life and moments, through his lens. Work has been shortlisted and displayed at the Cannes Also Photography Exhibition.

Colombian-born, MIA-raised, LA-based. Left-handed writer, powered by ADHD and an unhealthy obsession with ads. Over a decade of experience in the creative industry, telling stories alongside very cool people who make it all worth it. I’ve been lucky to team up with talented folks, mentor young creatives, build campaigns that connect globally, and grow a little with every project. My work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, D&AD, and The One Show. When I’m not writing ads, I’m riding my skateboard around LA, playing FIFA on my PS5, or just slurping noodles.

Jean Paul Merizalde is a Brand Strategist, author, and MBA with more than fifteen years of experience in strategic communications and storytelling across Latin America. Throughout his career, he has worked with global brands leading the development of strategic platforms and campaigns that connect cultural insight with measurable results. He is a Gold Effie Ecuador winner and has served as a jury member for Effie Ecuador and Effie Latin America. In addition to his work in brand strategy, he is the author of two books and actively supports emerging writers and creators through editorial innovation and narrative development.

Chiara Mezzalira is an award-winning Senior Art Director at T&P Italy. Her professional background is rooted in major global networks, including Saatchi&Saatchi and McCann, where she worked on integrated campaigns for national and international brands such as Mastercard, Bodyform, and L’Oréal. Currently, she focuses on the automotive sector, working on international EMEA campaigns for Toyota and Lexus. Deeply committed to the industry beyond agency life, Chiara is an ADCI (Art Directors Club Italy) Ambassador and a lecturer at major advertising universities in Rome.

I'm a Content Creative Manager with over 10 years of multidisciplinary experience in advertising and marketing. I began my journey as a copywriter, where ideas were shaped through language, culture and storytelling, and that's a foundation that still defines how I think and create today. Currently, I lead the Content Factory @ Publicis Production, a hub that works closely with strategy, creative and brand teams to turn insights and oportunities into bold, culturally relevant campaign ideas across all Publicis Group agencies and clients. My role lives at the intersection of strategic thinking and creative execution, connecting vision, craft and impact. I’ve worked across leading agencies such as WMcCann and W3Haus (Stefanini Group), navigating different creative cultures and challenges along the way. I believe strong ideas are smart, human and built with purpose.

Salome Mikadze is a Stanford-trained Knight-Hennessy Scholar, product and digital strategist, and founder of a leading MVP development framework that has helped launch over 100 startups globally. As co-founder of Movadex, she specializes in scaling ideas into impactful digital products across industries. Salome serves as an expert for Snap Inc. <> TRMNL 4, a judge for the NYBPC and Global Awards, and a senior member of ECDMA. She mentors emerging founders at Beta University and advances women’s leadership in tech as a W.Tech ambassador. Originally from Ukraine, Salome combines deep technical expertise with global business insight, championing innovation at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and social impact.

Michael brings over two decades of creative leadership to his role as Executive Creative Director, where he currently leads the charge for Honda Powersports. His work has helped shape brands like TurboTax, IHOP, Nestlé, Dole, and Heavenly Ski Resort and earned recognition from Cannes Lions, Communication Arts, Adweek Best Spots, The FWA, and Fast Company. Still, his favorite honor might be the Stanford University campaign he created that went on to be featured in a PhD dissertation at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Renee Miller is an award-winning Creative Director who has worked with dozens of high profile clients including SubZero, 7-Eleven, Costco, RE/MAX, Homeboy Industries, Goodwill, Pocky. She has received several gold pencils from The One Club, numerous ADDY Awards, Communication Arts and even an award from NY Festivals several years ago.

Currently Chief Creative of The Cooler @ Experian, Miller delights in upending expectations of what an in house shop can do, leading award winning work across an ever expanding list of channels. He’s helped launch a whole herd of oddball hits, from John Cena atop a Purple Cow to Travis Kelce the night before that first date, and most recently your 12 foot tall BFF. Previously an ECD at TBWA and JWT – and once a Junior Janitor at D’Arcy by day while doing non paying gigs at CBGBs and spinning vinyl on NYC radio by night—he’s held nearly every role in between. Armed with vaguely relevant NYU degrees in Political Theory, Religious Studies, and Film, he’s led dozens of national brands including Land Rover, Michelin, Ketel One, Lexus, and Honda. When not acting as chauffeur and endlessly refilling the family ATM for his terrific twins, he enjoys writing self aggrandizing bios in the third person.

Zainab is an Art Director at Joe Public based in South Africa. While she has received mixed reviews from her mother over the years, in 2025, the Loeries stepped in, ranking her as the number 2 Art Director in Africa and the Middle East. But this is an Indian household, so naturally, the question is: “What happened to number 1?” In 2018, Zainab broke a tradition of engineers, accountants and doctors when she decided to "make the logo bigger" for a living. She graduated from Vega with a degree and honours in Creative Brand Communication. While she has won numerous local and international awards – including The One Show, Next Creative Leaders, Loeries, and a Cannes finalist – her family is still wondering what happened to number 1.

Adri has been in the advertising industry for over 10 years, driven by her love for ideas and collaborating with renowned brands such as Corona, Stella Artois, NotCo, among others. Her work has been recognized and awarded.

Cristian is the founder and Creative Director of Crinimo, a Chile-based animation studio with a strong international footprint. He has served as a juror for the GEMA Awards, Webby Awards, Shots Awards. With over 15 years of experience in advertising animation and motion design, Cristian has led animated collaborations with agencies such as Saatchi Wellness, Dentsu Creative, Rise & Run, Callen, Ghost Robot and many others. Through Crinimo, he has worked with global brands including Google, Disney, Sony, Netflix, and Johnson & Johnson. The studio actively produces work across the United States, Latin America, and the Middle East. Crinimo has received multiple industry awards, including Best Short Film at the Motion Design Awards, as well as honors from Effie MENA and Dubai Lynx in collaboration with VML. Prior to founding Crinimo, Cristian worked as an Artist at studios such as The Mill,Shapes & Forms,Laundry,Mighty Nice,LeCube,Hornet, and Believe, among others.

Rafa Ribeiro is a Group Design Director/Head of Design at Dentsu US. He focuses on building brands through ideas with a fresh perspective, elevated design and interesting narratives. The foundation of his work uses design, storytelling, and culture, with a strong emphasis on craft, clarity, and impact to build brand worlds and campaigns that people want to interact with. Previously, Rafa served as Executive Creative Director at Mad Agency in Miami, where he built and led creative teams across Miami and São Paulo. His experience as a creative was built in agencies such as DDB, Publicis, Wunderman, JWT and Isobar, between cities like São Paulo, Sydney, Miami and Chicago. His client experience includes brands such as Heineken, Budweiser, Verizon, T-Mobile, 7-Eleven, Unilever, PepsiCo Ruffles, Nestlé, Danone, Land Rover, P&G, and others.

Matías Mori is a T-shaped professional in creativity and communication, currently serving as Senior Creative at Venue Brand Experience. With over 10 years of experience in experiential marketing and crossmedia storytelling, he has contributed to the development of projects for leading brands such as Google, Netflix, Coca-Cola, Nissan, Conmebol, TikTok and Moët & Chandon across Latin America, the U.S., and Europe. His approach combines strategic thinking, storytelling, and technological innovation to design experiences that emotionally connect with audiences and create impact in an increasingly phygital environment.

Recognised as the #1 ranked creative director in Australia and #14 globally by The Drum in 2024, Kieran is known for innovative thinking that reshapes advertising storytelling. His campaign ‘FitChix’ for Honest Eggs Co. was one of the stand-out creative campaigns of 2023 winning AdAge’s Tech Innovation of the Year and the NYF Genius 100 Product of the Year. His stellar and proven track record has major gongs from all award shows - including 11 Grand Prix at international award shows. He also invests in the industry’s future, mentoring young creatives with the OneClub and LIA Liaisons and has served as a two-time State Head of AWARD School - Australia’s pre-eminent creativity course.

Adailton Moura is a copywriter and digital content manager at P&G's agile content hub at Publicis Brazil.

Jorge is a multiple Cannes Lions award winning Executive Creative Director. Awards are nice but what really gets him out of bed each day, besides his cat’s breakfast demands, is a passion for creating work that moves people. Jorge has made a career out of making people think, smile, laugh, cry, ugly cry, share, sometimes dance, and most of all act in every type of channel. He loves taking on new business pitches, selling the unsellable, and mentoring the next generation of crazy ones. Named ADWEEK TOP CREATIVE DIRECTORS in 2017, he most recently was named as one of ADAGE’S 62 CREATIVES TO WATCH IN 2025.

With a passion for stories and cultural nuances, Manal is an Award-winning and experienced creative director with a wide variety of clients across the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. She's overseen and led creative efforts in advertising, branding and packaging since she joined Leo Burnett as a junior art director in 2001. Since then, she's worked her way up to senior creative director, collecting many local and international awards along the way. The latter include Cannes Lions, Epica, Golden Drum and Lynx. Her diverse range of local and multinational clients P&G, Diageo, Kraft, Cadbury, Nestle and MTN Telecom, allowing Manal to have diversified experience in the field. Furthermore, the diversity of experience extends to the region's markets as well; having worked for many years on the Egyptian, Saudi and Moroccan markets.

Carlo Nakhle – Business Director, Havas Life Middle East 15+ years of experience in health and pharmaceutical communications across the GCC, MENA, and North America. Currently leading Havas Life Middle East, overseeing multi-market operations and partnerships with top pharma clients including Lilly, Sanofi, GSK, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Boston Scientific, CINFA and MSD. Deep expertise in health awareness, brand strategy, and integrated communications across RX, OTC, and wellness categories. Passionate about purpose-driven creativity and innovation in health advertising. Contributed to multiple campaigns recognized in the Health categories of various international festivals, including Cannes Lions, Dubai Lynx, AdStars, Loeries, Lisbon International, MENA Effie, and AdFest, mainly for Durex and Pampers. Part of the leadership team of Havas Middle East, who over the past 5 years have won 200+ major awards across festivals and clients - including a Cannes Lions Grand Prix. No prior jury experience, but strong exposure to award processes and creative evaluation.

Matt is an experienced CD that has worked on everything from Netflix and Disney to Olipop and Liquid Death. He has a long history of selling and creating breakthrough work for valued partners that continues to get them recognition and awards in the industry. His unique perspective on what it takes to challenge the advertising status quo, making work that people identify with, and bringing to life the CALLEN Stupid Smart strategy in all that Matt does is what sets him apart in an industry full of sameness.

Creative since I was born and copywriter by choice. Talented, enthusiastic, and long-lasting learner. In love with letters and languages. A gifted storyteller that has gotten tons of stories to tell you. Addicted to a good coffee and books at bedtime.

I began my career as a Creative in advertising, moving fluidly across creative, PR, production and now Amazon. Having worked in different countries and across companies of all sizes, I’m endlessly fascinated by the constant evolution of our industry - shaped by culture, technology and, most importantly, people. Understanding what motivates behaviour and connecting with audiences empathetically is what truly drives my work. Outside the office, you’ll usually find me exploring London’s backstreets or dancing to techno. My real passion, though, is cooking - a gift from my grandmother. And despite being a true Italian, here’s my controversial truth: Margherita pizza just isn’t for me.

Pirko is a young copywriter from Hamburg. Her huge amount of passion already earned her first awards. For 5 years, she has been working at the agency thjnk. Her portfolio includes projects for renowned German brands like Veltins and REWE. Currently she works with Lufthansa Group, Hansaplast and WDR – Germany's public regional broadcaster. How it started? Pirko studied at a copywriter school in Hamburg where she was also teaching by herself to inspire the next generation of copywriters. Always driven by the spark that spreads through you, when you feel like - this is a great idea.

Brian Njagi is a highly decorated Creative Director with an impressive track record of over 50 accolades in 12 years of advertising. Brian's exceptional talent and dedication to the industry have seen him work on international brands such as Netflix, Airtel, WWF, Total, Coca Cola, and key brands in Kenya such as the complete EABL portfolio, Tusker, Safaricom, KOKO Networks, and more. As a former mentee at the London International Awards Creative LIAsons, Brian has honed his skills to become one of the most sought-after creatives in the industry. In addition to his impressive track record, Brian was the first representative of the East African region to the prestigious Loeries Youth Committee, where he helped develop the Rewrite The Story checklist - a tool designed to curtail stereotypes in the ad industry. He has judged at The One Show, Loeries, Next Creative Leaders, Young Guns and is the current chairperson of the DMA Committee.

Advertising professional with over 25 years of experience, having worked at agencies such as Full Jazz (Art Director), FCB Lisbon-Portugal (Senior Art Director), NeoGroup (Creative Director), Grey Brazil (Senior Art Director), Le Pera (Creative Director), Quadra Comunicação Florianópolis (Creative Director), Eugenio Publicidade (Creative Director), Dentsu Latin America (Creative Director), Grey Brazil (Creative Director), W/McCann (Senior Art Director), Agência LVL (Creative Director), Babel-Azza (Creative Director), and ESPM (Creative Director).

Nico Ochoa is an Independent Strategic & Creative Lead, born in Argentina and based in Spain, currently partnering with leading agencies and brands across the US, Europe, and Latam to drive world-class creative work. Throughout his career, he has led the creative direction on global projects for major accounts such as Coca-Cola, Netflix, Uber, AB InBev, and Adidas. His provocative vision and execution have been consistently recognized at prestigious festivals including Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, and Clio. Beyond advertising, Nico pursues entrepreneurial ventures, continuously trains in diverse business areas, and actively explores emerging technologies.

Thamires Oliveira is a Black woman from Rio de Janeiro, with a degree in Media Studies from UFF and an MBA in neuroscience and consumption from PUC. She works as a Brand Strategist at Droga5 and, having worked at agencies such as WMcCann, Talent Marcel, NWB, and Energy BBDO, Thamires connects purpose, creativity, and inclusion to transform brands from the inside out and bring them closer to often invisible territories. A speaker, mentor, coordinator at Publicitários Negros (Black Publicists), and creator of the Margem Estratégica (Strategic Margin) initiative, she has shared her thought-provoking insights on brands, culture, and regeneration at events, panel discussions, and transformative projects.

I have over 20 years of experience in advertising, with a career built across leading agencies in Brazil and internationally. I have served as a jury member at major international festivals, including New York Festivals, Mad Star in South Korea, and AdForum PHNX. My background is in graphic design, and my interest in this field began early through graffiti and constant sketching in notebooks, which naturally led me into visual communication and art direction. I began my professional career around 2010 at DM9 DDB in Brazil, where I built a strong foundation in creative advertising, working closely with top creative leaders and developing a sharp eye for craft and high impact ideas. After five years, I moved to Australia to improve my English and worked at agencies such as Publicis and Young & Rubicam, gaining experience in an international and multicultural market. After returning to Brazil, I rejoined DM9 within the digital hub and later joined F.biz WPP, where I developed innovation driven campaigns. Seeking to further expand my international perspective, I moved to Europe, initially living in Italy and later settling in Portugal, where I spent five years working at FCB Lisbon. Currently, I am a Senior Art Director at Amazon Brand Innovation Lab Brazil, collaborating with teams in Canada and Mexico on innovation driven brand experiences.

Sasha Ortega is an Associate Creative Director and Art Director at Leo Toronto. She leads idea-driven, culturally informed work across integrated and digital platforms. She has shaped creative for global and iconic brands including Audi, Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Jeep, Google, and OLG, bringing a broad, cross-category perspective to creative evaluation. Grounded in both strategic thinking and visual craft, Sasha is known for her ability to assess work holistically — balancing originality, execution, and relevance with clarity and rigor. Her work has been recognized by major industry awards, including a Cannes Lion, ADCC, LIAs, D&AD, One Club, reinforcing her high standards for creative excellence. Alongside her agency practice, Sasha has served as an instructor at Humber College, where she taught advertising students and helped develop emerging creative talent which she is very passionate about.

Chris Pacetta is a Group Creative Director at Dentsu Creative in New York, where he helps lead integrated brand teams across multiple lines of business. Drawn to ideas that are startlingly simple and emotionally precise, he focuses on storytelling across mediums—from film and design to sound and systems thinking. Prior to Dentsu, Chris worked at FCB, Organic, BBDO, and McCann, developing award-winning campaigns for national and global brands and helping shape creative approaches that bridge brand meaning with measurable impact. Outside the office he is a devoted reader, music obsessive, and lifelong student of design craft, still chasing the rare idea that feels both inevitable and surprising.

Veronica is a passionate design leader with over 20 years of experience, seamlessly blending creativity and purpose across graphic design, creative direction, and more. She’s worked with top clients like Google and The White House, earning global recognition along the way, including being named one of the Top 20 Design Directors by D&AD and a featured illustrator in Lurzer’s Archive as one of their 200 Best Illustrators. As VP and Head of Design at Favorite Child, she works to bring her passion for emotive design to both brands and packaging. Driven by her love for design and mental health, Veronica founded Tiny Movement and Gentle Mentals to inspire positive change—work that has taken her to the United Nations and film festivals worldwide.

One half of Young Hero’s creative leadership, Nick focuses on brand-building narratives and creative strategy. With a decade+ of experience, Nick has been internationally awarded and recognized for fostering innovative campaigns that empower businesses through impactful storytelling.

Vic Parizzotto is a creative director and educator known for strong design craft and imaginative storytelling. She has won the industry’s biggest awards, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, the Clios, and more. With experience in competitive markets like São Paulo and New York City, Vic leads design-driven, award-winning campaigns while mentoring emerging creatives and championing collaboration, curiosity, and creative excellence.

Gary has spent 30+ years at some of the top advertising agencies in the country, including TBWA/Chiat/Day in Los Angeles, McCann, BBDO in NYC/Detroit and The Richards Group in Dallas. In 2023, Gary spent a year as a full time Advertising Professor at his alma mater, Michigan State University, in East Lansing, Michigan. Most recently, Gary joined Doner Detroit as Executive Creative Director on the RAM account. Gary created the Emmy nominated "Walter the Cat" campaign for Chevy, and brought the ‘Sopranos’ to the Super Bowl for the Silverado EV launch. Earlier in his career, he created Pennzoil's long running "Not just oil, Pennzoil" campaign, Levi's "Our models can beat up their models" campaign, and worked on the "Yo Quiero Taco Bell" Chihuahua campaign. Gary is an Outstanding Alumni at Michigan State University, a two time Automotive News Marketing All Star, he has won 8 Effies, 7 Cannes Lions, 6 D&AD Pencils and 11 Clios.

Epaminondas Paulino is an Associate Creative Director at GALERIA.ag, one of Brazil’s largest independent creative agencies. With a degree in Advertising from the Federal University of Espírito Santo, his work connects creativity, culture, and social impact. He is also Co-President of the Clube de Criação do Brasil, the country’s leading creative institution and the organization responsible for producing Brazil’s largest advertising and creativity festival. In this role, he actively contributes to discussions on authorship, transparency, representation, and the future of the creative industry. In addition, Epaminondas has worked as a Diversity Leader, supporting the implementation of structural initiatives focused on inclusion, equity, and ethical practices within creative organizations. His professional journey reflects a strong belief in collective creation, cultural relevance, and creativity as a tool for transformation, combining strategic thinking, creative excellence, and a commitment to building a more diverse and responsible industry.

Sarika Persaud is a Senior Designer at MRM Health in NYC, with experience across consumer, health, and beauty brands. She is known for transforming strong ideas into storytelling-led designs that feel human and culturally relevant. Her work spans brand identity, digital campaigns, and design systems for brands including Novartis, Moderna, Dexcom, and more. Her work has been recognized by The One Show and Creative Conscience for its focus on craft and concept. Previously, she worked at TBWA\Chiat\Day and the independent creative agency Terri & Sandy, where she sharpened her approach to big ideas and execution. She believes great design should move people and matter, with clarity and beauty at its core.

Sara Peterek is a senior art director with many years of experience in developing award-winning brand communications. She has worked for international brands such as Volvo, Porsche, Volkswagen, NIVEA, Burger King, Visa, Swarovski, Siemens and Lidl. Her work has been recognised at leading international competitions, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, ADC, Clio, iF Design Award, Webby and Epica Awards. She currently works at Grabarz & Partner, having previously worked at Publicis and Digitas. Her focus is on clear concepts, strong visual implementation and culturally relevant ideas.

Tricia Piasecki is a Creative Director at Publicis Toronto, leading the creative vision for Visa Canada. Over her 20+ years in advertising, Tricia has been breaking boundaries with her strategically led ideas. A creative through and through, Tricia graduated from McMaster University with a BAH in Fine Arts and has since dedicated her career to bringing thought-provoking ideas to life and creating change. With a host of global brands under her belt, Tricia has been recognized and awarded nationally and globally; Best in Show at FAB Awards, Epica, CMAs, and ADCCs; and has served as an Effies jury member among others. Aside from being creative, Tricia is most known for mentoring up and coming creatives and her philanthropy efforts where she handcrafts toys for kids and donates a portion of the sales to Canadian charities.

Kim Pick is a multi-awarded creative director with extensive global experience, working on some of the world’s biggest brands via leading agencies in Australia, Singapore, London, New York and New Zealand. She leads creative across VML New Zealand’s Auckland and Wellington offices, supporting commercial and government clients on change-making work.

Töbe is a multiple award-winning creative with a passion for healthcare and helping people. A creative leader who has worked with some of Sydney’s top healthcare agencies, leading the creative output across a range of pharmaceutical, animal and consumer health blue chips. Be it global or local campaigns, print or digital, Töbe approaches every brief with the aim to help his team create great ideas that transform the way we think about health. He is always in pursuit of the ultimate idea that will drive and deliver a better world for people who need it most. He now runs his own company The Health Army - A new model that fits the modern world of healthcare advertising and marketing. A pure contract model that creates the perfect team around a health communications challenge. No overheads, layers or egos!

Carolina Pinheiro is a business leader and impact strategist specialized in inclusive communication, with over 20 years of experience in law, marketing, and advertising. She is co-founder and partner of Inbrax, one of Chile’s leading independent creative agencies, internationally recognized and awarded multiple times as Agency of the Year. She has been recognized as Leading Women 2025 by AdLatina, Future is Female 2024, and one of the 100 Leading Women, among other distinctions. She has served as a board member in several organizations and currently serves as a board member at Conar. She is also a mentor in multiple leadership and professional development programs and is a regional reference in female leadership. She holds postgraduate degrees in law and marketing, is a professor in the Master’s in Marketing program at Usach, serves as an academic advisor at Universidad del Desarrollo (UDD) and Universidad Diego Portales (UDP). She has served as a jury member at major global creative festivals, including Cannes Lions and The One Show. Currently, she leads Belong Communication Lab, promoting communication strategies focused on diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

Christina Pitsinos is a writer and creative director from New York

Heath believes if people aren't talking about your advertising you re wasting your money on your advertising. Thusly, he has spent 20 years crafting and building iconic brands and has held leadership positions at some of the world's most prestigious agencies, including Fallon, Carmichael Lynch, BSSP, and Deutsch LA. An ardent believer in using every legal tool in the toolbox, Heath has created and shaped award-winning and culture-defining work for Volkswagen, Harley-Davidson, Google, MINI, Jack Link's, ESPN and Subaru, to name but a few. Said work has been recognized by Cannes, One Show, Webbys, Effies, and Communication Arts. P.S. Heath has been hit by a car, kicked by a horse, and stabbed with a knife. He has surfed in a tropical storm, biked in -30°F, scaled the Great Wall of China, and circumnavigated the globe.

With over 20 years of experience in marketing and communications, Dirk began his career at a boutique, owner-managed healthcare agency before progressing to sales and marketing roles at global organizations such as Deutsche Post DHL, Sony, and Johnson & Johnson. Driven by a passion for healthcare marketing, which was particularly sparked by his time at Johnson & Johnson, he made the uncommon move from the client side back to the agency world. Returning to where his professional journey began. After more than eight years as Managing Director at Havas Health, Dirk now heads Publicis Groupe’s health business in Germany, where he and his team of around 70 experts across four cities (Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Cologne, and Berlin), drive innovative solutions for clients in the healthcare sector.

Guilherme Possobon is a Brazilian Creative Director with an international career spanning Brazil, Dubai, and the United States. He has worked at TBWA, Ogilvy, BETC, FCB, and since 2020 at VML New York, where he leads global work for clients such as Coca-Cola and Visa. His career includes more than 100 international awards across major festivals. At VML, he played a key role in Coca-Cola’s creative transformation, contributing to the most awarded Coca-Cola campaign in the brand’s history and to the year in which Coca-Cola was named Client of the Year at Cannes Lions. He also teaches and mentors emerging creatives, helping them build stronger portfolios and navigate the challenges of working abroad. His background in art direction and photography brings a focus on visual craft that guides his creative decisions across projects.

Lucía Presencio is a Senior Art Director at SAMY, based in Madrid, where she leads global digital campaigns for brands including Disney, Durex, Alibaba Group and L’Oréal Groupe. Before joining SAMY, she worked at Weber Shandwick developing PR-driven campaigns for brands such as Magnum and Cabify, and at Push Digital in Charleston (USA), working on digital communication and social media strategy. Her work has been internationally recognized with Gold in Spain and Bronze globally at the Cannes Young Lions Competition (Digital). In 2025, she also served as a jury member for the Cannes Young Lions Spain Digital competition. Lucía likes to think of herself as a “rainmaker”: someone who makes things happen and works relentlessly to turn ideas into reality.

Alex Prezenszki is Head of Marketing at Sziget Festival, shaping how one of the world’s leading festivals shows up before, during, and beyond the event. Previously, he was Media Director at Mediator, a leading Hungarian creative agency, overseeing media, PPC, and social strategy. His work has been recognized at international festivals including Golden Drum, The Clios, New York Festivals, One Show, Eurobest, Cresta, and Webby. With over a decade of experience, Alex has worked across industries including automotive, FMCG, e-commerce, retail, pharma, and beauty, with a strong focus on digital-first strategy and connecting creativity with measurable impact. Beyond his role, he teaches, speaks at industry events, and actively contributes to the professional community. He has served as a jury member at both local and international creative competitions.

I’m a Brazilian Creative Director driven by the belief that strong ideas cross borders. I’m currently based in Germany, but my creative path has taken me through Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Italy, Czechia, and Brazil — experiences that deeply shaped how I think, create, and collaborate. I’ve worked with agencies such as Scholz & Friends (Germany), Africa Agency (Brazil), Saatchi & Saatchi (Italy), and VML Prague), creating work recognized by Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, and The One Show. In 2025, I was honored with a Grand Prix at Cannes Lions, and one of my OOH campaigns was selected as one of the best OOH works of all time. Another project is now part of the permanent collection at the New York Poster Museum. Beyond advertising, I collaborate with EdTech platforms like Skillbox.ru and Mentorama.com.br, mentoring creatives and building meaningful brand stories. I speak five languages and love sharing ideas, learning from others, and pushing creativity forward.

Nabil is an award-winning creative leader with over 15 years of experience working on some of the world's most respected brands. He has built a legacy of purpose-driven campaigns for industry heavyweights such as Samsung, General Motors, TD Bank, P&G, and Emirates Airlines. His work has been featured in prominent publications, receiving top honors at shows like Cannes, NYF, The Advertising & Design Club of Canada, and The Effies. As Executive Creative Director at Burson, Nabil is at the forefront of shaping earned-first creative that leverages data and culture to spark meaningful conversations and build lasting brand influence.

Andrea Raia is an Associate Creative Director at McCann New York with over 10 years of experience working on global brands including Mastercard, Oreo, Heineken, Coca-Cola and Netflix. He grew at LePub Milan, progressing from intern to Associate Creative Director, before moving to New York to join McCann. His portfolio includes major campaigns such as Mastercard – From Fan to Featured and Oreo – Trust the Twist. His work has been recognized at Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio, Effie Awards, One Show, LIA, Eurobest and New York Festivals, among others.

Chandu is a creative explorer with the analytical precision of a strategist and the real-world acumen of a seasoned marketer. Over the past 25 years his work in advertising has garnered recognition from prestigious platforms like D&AD, Cannes, New York Festival, The One Show, Clio, Spikes, AdFest, Communication Arts, Effie, AD Stars, Award Awards, The Work, and Campaign Brief’s Agency of the Year rankings. Additionally, he’s been celebrated at the Smarties Global, MMA Regional, and MMA Vietnam awards. Ranked among the top 10 creative minds in Vietnam by Campaign Brief in 2023, Chandu has left an indelible mark on the industry. He has served on numerous juries, including the Cannes Lions, New York Festival, Effie, Applied Arts, MMA Vietnam, Cannes Young Lions (Vietnam/Sri Lanka), Young Lotus Sri Lanka, Hakuhodo Global Council and Leo Burnett Global GPC. Over the past ten years, his contributions were pivotal in securing three Agency of the Year titles for Southeast Asia for Leo Burnett Vietnam, three Agency of the Year titles for South Asia, and four consecutive Agency of the Year wins at the Effies for MullenLowe. His leadership helped elevate MullenLowe Sri Lanka to 9th in Asia and 36th globally on the effies global index, competing with industry giants.

Alejandro Rattenbach is an award-winning creative leader with experience across Latin America and global markets. His work spans major brands and platforms, blending cultural insight, craft, and strategic thinking. He has been recognized at leading international festivals including Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, and D&AD, and has collaborated with some of the industry’s most influential creative leaders. Currently based in Mexico City, he was the first Creative Director at Wieden + Kennedy Mexico, helping open and build the agency’s office.

Amanda is an accomplished Group Program Manager with a track record in the entertainment and advertising industries. Currently is an instrumental SPM at adam&eveTBWA NY, a renowned creative agency. Amanda's work has been recognized in major festivals, such as CANNES LIONS, SXSW Gaming Awards, MMA Smarties Awards, and Effie Awards.

Bruno Reis is an award-winning copywriter and Associate Creative Director based at GUT Miami. In 2024, he was named to Adweek’s Creative 100 list, and in 2022 he ranked among the top 10 copywriters in the Cannes Creativity Report. He was also a Young Lions Brazil winner in 2021. Since 2023, Bruno has been based in the United States, where he worked at DAVID Miami, creating work for brands such as Android, Corona, and Sour Patch Kids. Prior to that, he spent four years at Africa DDB São Paulo, collaborating with brands like Budweiser, Heinz, and Brahma Beer—where he was part of the team behind the brand’s first Gold Lion at Cannes. Throughout his career, Bruno’s work has been recognized at major international award shows including Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Clio, Effie, The Andys, LIA, and El Ojo.

Tim Ringel is a serial entrepreneur with the passion and drive to push past the status quo. His ambition and desire to make things work the way they’re supposed to has led him to the role of Global CEO of next-generation international advertising group Meet The People. A builder of multiple international agency groups, Tim is a seasoned global CEO and executive in the marketing space, having run world-renowned Spring Studios and Reprise Digital, IPG Mediabrands’ digital global agency network. With experience in EMEA, APAC, LATAM and the U.S., Tim has operationally managed ad businesses with more than 3,000 staff and 68 offices around the globe. He has been a speaker at 250-plus industry events, including talks at the United Nations, Cannes Lions, Google and Facebook, and he is an active supporter of entrepreneurial associations and charities.

Content nerd, trend chaser, and full-time foodie. Hungry for bold ideas. Andrea has stirred up creativity across LATAM and global markets, from Colombia to Italy and NYC, crafting campaigns with flavor and heart. She’s mixed strategy and storytelling at top agencies like Ogilvy, Leo Burnett, Proximity BBDO, Nobox, and Wunderman Thompson, creating work for brands as Maybelline, Dove, Natura, Kotex, Diageo, Visa, Marriott, and Nestlé. Her ideas have turned heads (and won Lions, Grand Effies, and El Ojo). Part of Cannes’ See It Be It LATAM, she champions women in the industry and has judged at Lisbon Festival, Shortys Awards, BBDO Impact, and Antigua Fest. Her mantra is: Keep ideas simple, the music loud, and relationships strong.

Kelly is a global creative leader with a knack for turning strategic thinking into work people actually want to talk about, the kind that shows up in culture, not just in ads. Over the past 20+ years, she’s worked across nearly every corner of the creative industry: big and small creative shops, in-house teams, global networks and experiential agencies. Before joining Betty, she held leadership roles at Leo Burnett, BBDO, Jack Morton Worldwide and Razorfish, helping shape some of the world’s most loved brands — including Kraft Heinz, Mars Wrigley, Dove, Visa, SC Johnson, J.M. Smucker, Anheuser-Busch and Kimberly-Clark.

Petter is a Creative Director at Valtech Radon in Stockholm, leading a global creative team to deliver culture first, commerce enabled campaigns for brands like Old Spice, Pantene, RFSU, Head & Shoulders, LEGO, and Yves Saint Laurent. Previously, he worked with clients including Samsung, MTV, Activision/Blizzard, From Software, and Viacom. With 80+ international advertising awards to his name, his work has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, CNN, Vogue, and Mashable, while his Pantene campaign was named one of the Best Ads of 2022 by AdAge.

Creative activist since 1993—because the first thing she did with the Barbie her grandma gave her was break it. She speaks Català, Spanish, English, and TikTok. You’ll find her outside touching some grass, sharing food, or trying not to get lost on a hike. She was part of the Cannes See It Be It 2024 cohort and has served as a Clio juror two years in a row.

Hussein is an Associate Creative Director & Art Director driven by ideas that leave an impact on industries, brands, and most importantly people. Recently named in Campaign Canada's 30 under 30 list. He's worked on Canada's largest brands across multiple sectors earning global recognition winning Gold Lions at Cannes, and a Grand Prix at the Effies, among other awards at shows like D&AD, ADCC, The One Show, etc.

Belén writes advertisements for money. She started her career in Buenos Aires, where she worked at Del Campo Nazca Saatchi&Saatchi, David and The Community. She then moved to Europe to work at McCann Germany and travel a bit. Almost four years and a pandemic after, she got hired in the US by Goodby Silverstein & Partners, in San Francisco, and finally landed in TBWA CHIAT DAY, in the best city of the world after Buenos Aires: New York. While that was happening, she also managed to have a life outside advertising and picked up a few degrees — Social Studies, Journalism, Literature. All useless in this profession, but incredibly useful for the much more important task of keeping her happy. Her dream is to have a job where she could just read and give a thumbs up or down. If it’s from bed, even better.

May Ruzicka is an art director at SpecialGuest whose work combines cultural fluency, behavioral insight, and craft discipline. Born and raised in Japan within a bicultural household, she studied psychology before discovering advertising during a study-abroad experience in Toronto, where she saw how creative work could make people laugh, reconsider a habit, or feel understood. After completing portfolio school in New York, May joined SpecialGuest, drawn to its founder-led culture and emphasis on craft. In under a year, she contributed to major campaigns for Lyft and Meta. Her approach starts with behavior: studying how people act, comparing platforms, and building work that makes new ideas feel natural. That philosophy shaped Lyft's "Check Lyft" and Meta's "Free to Date." May was named one of Ad Age’s 2026 Gen Zers to Watch. Her work has also earned international recognition including the Clios, placed Top 25 globally in Doritos’ Crash the Super Bowl, and been featured in Fast Company, Variety, and Communication Arts.

With a background in creative advertising spanning over 15 years, Roberto has worked with brands such as McDonald’s, Apple, Ford, Nike, Ikea, Puma, and Absolut to name a few. During his time at 360i in 2013, Roberto was the Art Director behind the "Oreo Black Out Tweet," which various media publications hailed as the entry point of real-time marketing. As the Co-Founder and President of Young Hero, Roberto has developed go-to-market campaigns for brands like Ro, Absolut, Anheuser Busch, lululemon and Lebron James' tequila, Lobos 1707. Young Hero specializes in creative storytelling and production rooted in youth culture. His work has been honored by organizations such as the Clios, One Show, Ad Week, AdAge Small Agency Awards, and Cannes Lions.

Keegan Sanford is a Brooklyn-based creative director who, for more than a decade, has helped brands craft stories that stand out in their category. His work has been recognized by most major award shows and on the subreddit r/CommercialsIHate. At FIG, Keegan has led award-winning work for Homesense, Viator, and Naked Juice. He is currently the Creative Director for Publix. Before joining FIG, Keegan was at Terri & Sandy and Havas New York, where, during the height of the original Bitcoin craze, he helped TD Ameritrade put the world’s first ad on the blockchain—a digital project that garnered 51.6 million media impressions on a budget of $23.15. When he’s not creative directing, Keegan can be found in the front row of a movie theater, the back row of a concert venue, or working on illustration projects for clients like The Washington Post, Adobe, Blue Apron, and Gimlet Media.

Louiza studied Communication Design in Berlin for five years, discovering that inspiration can come from almost anywhere — including late?night döner shops. She moved from Germany to Vienna to join HAVAS, where she worked on Volvo and Citroën, gaining a deep understanding of automotive branding and storytelling. Today, she’s a Senior Art Director at WIEN NORD Serviceplan, where she has spent the last five years leading creative work for Drei Hutchison by focusing on ideas that feel human, relevant, and rooted in the everyday moments people instantly relate to. She also enjoys working conceptually, especially when ideas turn into simple, strong solutions.

Martin Schlumpf, an Executive Creative Director at Joe Public South Africa, believes that advertisers have the power to build brands, drive progress, and change the world through creativity. He values honest and authentic work that celebrates humanity, breaks down stereotypes, and challenges biases. With over 20 years of experience across all advertising disciplines, Martin has built established brands and launched new ones, working in various industries from banking to fried chicken. He has consistently been ranked among the top ECDs/CDs for Africa & Middle East at the Loeries Awards and has won multiple local and international awards, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, LIA, Clios, and Effie's. Martin has served on juries for the Cannes Shortlist (Brand Experience & Activation), Dubai Lynx Awards (Film, Radio, and Print), Loeries Africa & Middle East (Print, B2B Creativity), and Creative Circle Ad of the Month (All).

I am a creative director with 20+ years experience. I’ve honed my conceptual skills at advertising agencies Havas Worldwide, Imagine, Y&R, TBWA and Publicis and developed my entrepreneurial and digital skills as co-founder of an agency which focused on media neutrality. I’ve won 150+ national and international awards such as Cannes Lions 2009, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020,2021, 2022, Eurobest, Pencil, SpinAwards, Esprix, SAN, Accent, FWA, Effie, D&AD and many more. The award winning work was made for automotive(Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Renault, FCA) fashion retail (Hunkemöller, Van Gils, Wefashion, Hema), insurance (Delta Lloyd) and consumer finance (Ohpen), FMCG, supermarkets (Albert Heijn), consumer electronics (Samsung, Philips) Lay's and Danone for food, charities and public awareness campaigns. I have proven to be able to successfully launch brand campaigns and activate them across different touch points from video, print, digital to product design. I am a modern customer experience thinker who helps brands connect with their target audience in a rapidly changing world. I am also a well-known speaker at art schools, universities like Amsterdam VU, Arizona State University and InHolland, The Solar Future and Endemol. Work I have made: https://www.behance.net/mischaschreuder

Top 5 Creative Director in Lürzer’s Archive, global jury member and winner of 30+ international awards for high-impact creative work.

Madina Seisengaliyeva is a senior business development and marketing leader with over 15 years of experience spanning AdTech, FMCG, consumer intelligence, and digital transformation across Central Asia. She currently serves as Director for Central Asia at Yandex Ads, where she leads regional expansion of hyper-localized advertising solutions across search, display, and emerging platforms, helping brands connect with audiences at every stage of the marketing funnel. Previously, Madina spent more than a decade at NielsenIQ, most recently as Commercial Director, driving sustainable growth, leading high-performing sales teams, and partnering with global FMCG brands to deliver insight-driven, action-oriented strategies. Her career combines strong strategic leadership, deep understanding of consumer behavior, and hands-on experience in scaling businesses and developing talent. Madina holds a Master’s degree in Marketing from Oxford Brookes University and brings a global, culturally nuanced perspective to evaluating creative effectiveness and business impact in advertising.

Guilherme Serato, known simply as Serato, is an Art Director with 20 years of experience in the advertising industry. Based in São Paulo, he is a versatile creative with a background in Art Direction and Design, and a strong belief in visual excellence and craft as key brand drivers. Throughout his career, Serato has worked at some of Brazil’s most respected agencies, including Gut, Africa, Almap, Leo Burnett TM, Talent Marcel, Artplan and FCB, and has won major national and international advertising awards. He currently works at Galeria.ag. Outside of advertising, Serato is passionate about music, surfing, skateboarding and visual culture. He is also the creator of the volunteer initiative Lave o Dito Cujo, developed in partnership with Instituto Lado a Lado pela Vida (Movember Brazil). Curious by nature, he is passionate about culture, storytelling and turning meaningful ideas into powerful images.

Zaid Shehzad is a senior copywriter based in Dubai. He began his career in 2016 and has worked with agencies including Publicis, M&C Saatchi, and C2 Communications. A film graduate who drifted into advertising, he built a reputation for shaping ideas from scratch, writing, directing, and helping bring them to life with his own hands. He has written for brands such as Volkswagen, Maserati, XPENG, ENOC, and Anchor, always chasing work that makes people feel something real. His curiosity for new tools led him to become one of the first creatives in his agency to integrate generative AI into the process. Zaid believes creativity still belongs to those willing to get their hands dirty and that good work starts with paying attention to the world around you.

Thiago Silva is a Creative Director and Film Director at Fog Studios and Deep Films. Based in Brazil, he directs live-action and animation with a craft-driven approach, spanning stop motion, 2D/3D and VFX/CGI. He leads the creative vision from concept through post, combining on-set direction with a strong finishing pipeline to deliver premium visual storytelling for agencies and brands across formats and markets.

Dennis Silveira is a Creative Director with 15 years of experience in advertising, currently based in Dubai. He has been instrumental in crafting campaigns for notable brands such as Etihad Airlines, Cadillac, Citroën, and Adidas, and many others.

His work has garnered attention from prominent award bodies including Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio Awards, and others. Among his accolades, Dennis has a Grand Prix and a Gold Lion from Cannes Lions. Notably, he played a pivotal role in positioning Impact BBDO in the top 3 agencies worldwide in the Good category at Cannes Lions.

Dedicated to nurturing the next generation, Dennis mentors emerging advertising professionals. He graduated from a renowned college in São Paulo with a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design and Advertising. His expertise is further highlighted by his participation as a juror in several global advertising festivals, such as the New York Festival and Webby Awards.

Over the years in Dubai, Dennis has embraced the city's dynamic advertising landscape, consistently pushing the boundaries and contributing to the growth of the UAE's advertising sector.

As a dynamic and creative leader with a passion for storytelling and culture-driven marketing, Emily leads with thoughtfulness and a sharp eye for delivering bold, social-first campaigns that resonate with audiences. As Head of Creative at GLOW, she has spearheaded work for top entertainment networks and brands such as Max, Showtime, Jägermeister, and World of Hyatt, crafting campaigns that tap into the heart of today’s trends and conversations. Beyond her work, Emily is deeply passionate about mentoring emerging creatives and fostering a culture of collaboration, confidence, and curiosity. She believes in leading with empathy, empowering teams to push creative boundaries, and developing talent into bold, forward-thinking storytellers.

I’m a dropout from the School of Architecture, now working as a creative in adland. For over a decade, I’ve been creating, ideating, writing and art directing for some of the best agencies in the Nordics. Along the way, I’ve picked up awards for both effectiveness and creativity, including a Gold Lion in Cannes. I’m drawn to ideas that are simple, sharp and built to work in the real world — whether that’s a standout OOH or an activation that becomes the product itself.

David started his career as a copywriter at independent creative shops in his hometown of Denver, Colorado. After losing a bet, he found himself in Asia — Vietnam specifically. There, he helped shape the creative profile of industry by starting the country’s first advertising exhibition/award show, and also winning Vietnam’s first Cannes lion. In 2007, he founded the BBDO offering in Vietnam. He also had stints working in Hong Kong and Thailand. In 2016, he returned to the US, where he taught creative advertising at his alma mater, the University of Colorado Boulder, while also serving on the board of The One Club Denver Chapter, establishing their One-to-One mentoring program. He is currently Group Creative Director at the independent agency, PPK, in Tampa.

Jake has been a creative at Havas for 7 years. In that time he has featured in all major advertising award shows, and most recently won Eurobest Young Creative 2024. He is driven to create ideas that demand attention and create change across all areas of healthcare advertising and different therapy areas.

Shawn Smith is an Executive Producer specializing in art and design with extensive experience in multi-media productions, artist management, photography curation, large-scale campaigns, and global productions. Since 2021, Shawn has served as Executive Producer at M+C Saatchi SSK, overseeing a full spectrum of productions, partnering with clients such as the City of New York, the DNC, JPMorgan Chase, Ferrari, and Mount Sinai. Before that, Shawn spent nearly nine years at Mullen Lowe U.S. as Executive Producer and Curator of Art and Design. She has also freelanced with agencies including Fallon, TBWA, Anomaly, and Zeus Jones. Earlier roles include Director of Art Production at J. Walter Thompson Worldwide and lead Art Buyer at Fallon and Duffy Design. Shawn holds a BFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and studied at the School of Visual Arts and Macalester College.

Brazilian Senior Copywriter with over nine years of experience, creating and finding solutions in challenging environments. Fabricio has been working on global campaigns at LePub, always pushing to bring fearless ideas that drive real impact for his clients’ businesses. Before joining his current agency, he was part of creative teams at Leo Burnett, McCann, FCB, and Havas, working with major brands, including Heineken, FIAT, Oreo, NIVEA, SKY, Samsung, Whirlpool, and TIM. His latest experiences helped make a client the top-selling automotive brand in Brazil for four years in a row, with work recognized at the world’s most prestigious festivals, including Cannes Lions, One Show, Effie, New York Festivals, MMA Smarties, and El Ojo, to name a few. Fabricio has also participated as a jury member at other awards, and being part of New York Festivals is an honor for him, contributing to the most innovative work in the industry. Outside of advertising, Fabricio practices his passion for woodcut art and running in the middle of the mountains.

Chad Song is the CVO of Crack the Nuts | The CRACKtivity™ Company, a marketing and brand consulting company redefining how brands grow in the age of AI. With extensive experience across brand consulting, advertising, and PR, he has held key roles at Leo Burnett, Publicis, Serviceplan, Edelman, and the.WATERMELON. His work has been recognized by D&AD, The One Show, Spikes Asia, Red Dot, YouTube Works, Effie, Indie Awards, and the Korea Advertising Awards. Chad currently serves as a jury member of the Effie Awards, One Asia, DMAP, and Indie Awards, PR & Public Service Advertising Jury President, Executive Committee Member of the 2024/25 Korea Advertising Awards, and jury member of the Asia Design Prize 2025. He is also an active brand journalist, exploring the intersection of branding, creativity, and business. Through CRACKtivity™, he challenges conventions and designs solutions that turn brand intent into measurable business growth.

I’m Fernanda, a Brazilian creative currently based in Toronto, where I work at GUT and spend most of my time chasing ideas. I was born in Patos de Minas, a small city in the middle of Brazil that Google Maps knows better than most people, and my career took a few scenic detours through São Paulo and Montréal before I landed in Canada. For more than 17 years, I’ve been making things with brilliant humans around the world for brands like Coca-Cola®, Netflix®, Spotify®, The United Nations®, Avon®, Bayer®, Ford®, Tim Hortons®, and AfroReggae. Along the way, I’ve collected some trophies, plenty of stories, and a deep appreciation for work that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

I’m Lindsey, a copywriter and creative director, unapologetic cat person, and ginger enthusiast. I’ve lived both the in-house and agency life, which means I think like a brand but push like an outsider. I’m a collaborative ringleader of ideas, turning smart thinking into work that actually matters—and giving brands a voice that feels distinct, dynamic, and human.

I wish I could say I was born and raised in Vienna, just because it sounds so much better than the truth. But no, my parents had to go back to their little village in the country and have me be born in the „city“ next to it called Oberwart (don’t look it up, it’s not worth it). I still made it back to Vienna, went to school there, took a break from it in England twice, commuted to University of Applied Sciences in St.Poelten to study Marketing, graduated and got into advertising. First at the small agency Traktör as an intern / copy writer / lowkey key account manager. And then at Wien Nord Serviceplan as a junior copy writer. I’m still here, the junior title hasn’t been for a while, with clients like the beer brand Stiegl, Casinos Austria, Vienna Museum of Science and Technology and many more.

Inseeyah was born and raised in Hong Kong and has since lived and worked across the US and Europe, including Baltimore, Paris, Oakland, San Francisco and Hamburg. With more than 17 years in the advertising industry, she has helped shape campaigns for global brands such as Apple, Audi, BMW, John Frieda, Miele, Siemens, Sony and Visa to name a few. She believes that emotion is central to meaningful connection, and that creative work should be grounded in human truth and cultural insight. Drawing on a global perspective, she approaches every brief with sensitivity and intention, blending craft and clarity to create ideas that resonate and go beyond selling.

Svetlana, Global Marketing & Brand Executive, Mentor and Speaker, has been helping companies thrive across countries, from Italy to Singapore. An expert contributor to business media and speaker at universities and conferences, Svetlana shares her insights on technology, innovation, and marketing. As a mentor, she guides startups at world’s leading accelerators Techstars and Founder Institute. Featured in INvolve Heroes Role Model List 2025 supported by YouTube and List of Mentors Powering Asian startup ecosystem by e27 (Singapore), she won the 2025 Social Media Marketer Award (UK) and served as an EWEMA Ambassador for the Early Warning Europe Network. She is a member of Green The Bid (USA), The AI & Arts Interest Group at The Alan Turing Institute (UK), and The Global Leaders Movement by the female factor (Austria).

Mike started in New York cutting his teeth as an ad creative while chasing his rockstar dreams. That didn’t quite pan out, but touring the country gave him life-shaping experiences—and a track (Turn Them) on Norah Jones’ duets album, appearing between the Foo Fighters and Willie Nelson. After a decade at agencies including Kirshenbaum Bond and Saatchi NY, he returned home to New England to join Arnold, where he helped expand the Progressive Insurance brand beyond Flo. Mike introduced national campaigns that include Dr. Rick and the world of “Un-Becoming Your Parents” and “At Home With Baker Mayfield.” He’s been recognized in Adweek’s Creative 100 and awarded in the industry’s top showcases. Mike lives outside Boston with his wife and two daughters, who remind him daily his work isn’t that funny.

In 2021, Lee was ranked No. 1 Creative Director in APAC and 17th globally by The One Club for Creativity. Across his career, his work has won Best in Shows, multiple Grand Prix, Best of Discipline, Yellow Pencils, Gold Lions and a Grand Effie. He has worked with some of APAC’s biggest brands, and most recently helped revive one of the world’s most iconic brands, 1980s John McEnroe. Lee also creatively led the launch of the Royal Australian Mint’s Donation Dollar: the world’s first legal-tender currency designed to be given, not spent. The idea was named to Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas list and became the most globally awarded campaign of 2021. That same year, he helped take Saatchi Australia from nowhere to one of the world’s top-ten most awarded agencies. Lee has now crossed the Tasman to lead Saatchi Aotearoa New Zealand, with the ambition to do it again.

Gaby Surkin is a Marketing and Creative Director with over 15 years of international experience leading brand strategy, creative campaigns, and cross functional teams across the US, Latin America, and Europe. Her work spans fashion, beauty, CPG, and lifestyle, with a strong focus on culturally relevant and performance led marketing. She has collaborated with global brands including Bottega Veneta, H and M, Fenty, Ralph Lauren, Heineken, and Sweetleaf Coffee Roasters. Her work has been recognized with multiple awards such as the New York Festivals Award, the Wall Street Online Marketing Award, the TikTok Award for Best Financial Channel Strategy, and the Asociación Argentina de Marketing Award. She was also honored by the National Costume Museum for her fashion designs.

Shingo Suzuki is the Brand Marketing Director at moomoo Securities Japan, part of Futu Holdings, a NASDAQ-listed global fintech company. He leads brand and marketing strategy for the Japan market, supporting the growth of moomoo’s digital trading and investment platform.

Previously, Shingo served as Senior Strategic Planning Director at McCann Erickson Japan, part of McCann Worldgroup. Before that, he was Associate Strategy Director at R/GA Tokyo, where he worked on global brands including Nike. He also held roles at Publicis Groupe Japan and began his career at Dentsu headquarters in Tokyo as an account planner.

Shingo is passionate about identifying the true drivers behind business challenges, using research and data to uncover insights and develop clear strategic solutions. He believes the most effective marketing combines analytical rigor with creative thinking to build meaningful and lasting connections between brands and people.

A seasoned digital leader with over 25 years of experience, Swamy embodies the dynamic blend of ideas, art, and technology. His passion lies in driving interactive creativity through a customer-centric approach powered by game-changing technology. With a strong foundation in digital strategy, Swamy has worked at leading agencies including Tribal DDB, BBDO Proximity, Digital Law & Kenneth, SapientRazorfish, Liqvd Asia, and BC Web Wise. His extensive portfolio includes strategic work for brands such as Idea Cellular, MTV, Reliance Mobile, Volkswagen, Renault, Hero MotoCorp, Visa, UltraTech Cement, Jeep, TikTok Ads, HDFC Ergo, Dabur, and more. Swamy has led and executed numerous award-winning campaigns, contributing over 200 accolades to the agencies he has partnered with. His expertise has earned him jury positions at prestigious award platforms such as Adfest Asia, Goafest Abby, IDMA, Foxglove, AdStars, and New York Festivals. Recognized as one of India’s Top 100 Digital Leaders by IMPACT Magazine, Swamy continues to shape the digital landscape with purpose and innovation.

Creative Director with 17 years of experience. Born in Brazil, based in Germany for the last 9 years, I’ve led global campaigns, built cross-cultural teams, and survived more brainstorms than I can count. I believe creativity works best when paired with empathy, honesty, and just the right amount of chaos.

Kat is a Senior Art Director at McCann in New Zealand. With over a decade of experience and a passion for behaviour change work, she creates culturally resonant ideas that connect with real people. Her love for craft and eye for detail underpin a thoughtful approach to the work, with a focus on clarity, and genuine impact. She’s driven by the belief that creativity can shift perspectives, spark conversation, and make meaningful change.

Axel Tagg is a Creative Director at 72andSunny Toronto and brings 15+ years of international experience to the table. Originally from Gothenburg, Sweden, he spent time at Forsman & Bodenfors, but also from Germany and Australia where he held senior positions at Ogilvy, and MullenLowe U.S. (R.I.P.) before settling down in Toronto, Canada. Over the years, Axel has created and shaped impactful, culture defining ideas for clients such as Trojan Condoms, Burger King, JetBlue, LG, Volvo, German Rail, and AAMI Insurance, among others. Throughout his career, Axel has collected awards in several international award shows including Cannes Lions, One Show, The Clios, New York Festivals, Eurobest etc. including two Grand Prix. Still, he considers hearing random strangers talk about his work in a bar the best award one can receive.

Makiko Tanimura is a Creative Director with 20 years in Japan’s advertising industry. After building her career in Japan, she expanded her practice to China, where she continues to explore creative possibilities across different cultural contexts. Her film campaigns have earned international recognition, including a Cannes Lions Gold Award. She has crafted immersive brand experiences that bridge storytelling and real-world engagement and ventured beyond traditional advertising to develop original content, including new festival initiatives and immersive escape games. Bringing a well-rounded perspective shaped by two of Asia’s most dynamic markets, she values ideas that resonate deeply and create meaningful impact.

Laura is a Strategy Director at Ogilvy New York. With experience in semiotics, brand strategy and advertising planning, she believes in the power of culture to unlock salient future-facing creative ideas that help brands position more effectively, innovation cut through, design have force, and creative work sing. She has driven impactful work across diverse clients, categories, and geographies from the US to Kazakhstan – and categories as varied as tech to retail. She has also contributed culture-and-brands-related thought leadership to renowned publications including Huff Post, Digiday and Little Black Book.

Nicole is an experienced Head of Design with over a decade of leadership experience in agencies. She successfully develops captivating and results-driven Brand and Packaging Design solutions. Her positive disposition and a pronounced spirit of discovery motivate her to constantly explore new ideas and approaches. Beyond her agency work, she lectures on Corporate Design, sharing valuable strategic insights. Her diverse interests—from the role of AI in design to Interior Design, global travel, and food culture—reflect her open-minded approach and enrich her comprehensive creative perspective. With this combination of expertise, judgment, and foresight, Nicole brings a well-founded and considered perspective.

Stephanie Truong is a Design Director born, bred, and based in Los Angeles. With over 10 years of experience as a branding and systems designer, she understands what it takes to create an impactful, sustainable visual identity. In 2015 she joined Elisabeth Murdoch’s first-of-its-kind, Snapchat backed digital media company, Vertical Networks, which grossed an average of 2 million views daily. In 2019 she joined Monks where she led brand campaigns for T-Mobile and J.P.Morgan. Now at CYLNDR Studios, she’s leading a team of diverse makers, building visual identities for brands like Cheil and First Citizens Bank.

I am a passionate, results-driven creative marketing strategist with nearly two decades of experience spanning journalism, public relations, and integrated marketing communications. As Divisional Director at Marketing Edge Publications, Nigeria’s foremost multi-channel marketing and communications media group, I provide strategic leadership that strengthens brand visibility, deepens market influence, and expands global relevance.

I am deeply committed to amplifying African voices on the world stage, and my work has consistently pushed boundaries—securing international partnerships with iconic platforms such as the New York Festivals International Advertising Awards, Loeries, African Cristal Festival, and Cannes Lions.

In 2025, I was appointed to the Global Jury of the Native Advertising Awards and named a finalist for Native Advertising Marketer of the Year, becoming the only African shortlisted in the category. I also serve as a Grand Jury Member for the AME Awards, reinforcing my role in shaping the future of creative marketing and effectiveness-driven advertising worldwide.

Beyond this, I have been appointed as an international and regional juror across multiple prestigious platforms, including the Effie Awards South Africa, International ECHO Awards, Digital Media Awards Africa, and the PR Power List. I also serve as an Out-of-Home (OOH) Category Juror for Nigeria’s leading creative awards platform, the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival.

These global and continental appointments reflect my commitment to advancing marketing excellence, promoting African creativity, and contributing to the standards by which world-class work is judged.

I’m a Creative Director with 15+ years of experience in advertising, working across Latin America, Europe, and the U.S. I began my career in Argentina and Colombia at DDB and Y&R, later holding Creative Director roles in Colombia and Spain, and Associate Creative Director at DDB Latina in Puerto Rico. I’m currently based in San Francisco as a Creative Director at Goodby Silverstein & Partners. I’ve led work for global brands including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Adobe, Comcast, Doritos, Lay’s, Unilever, Adidas, Honda, and Fiat. My work has been recognized at Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Clio, ADC, Webby Awards, LIA, and more. I was named Ad Age A-List Creative of the Year nominee in 2020 and Campaign US Creative of the Year in 2023.

Tina Vahn is an actor turned ad woman. Hungry for creativity and a steady paycheque, she left show biz for the ad world. Now with 15 years of agency experience, she's worked on brands big, small, local, and global; both above and below the line. She's currently a Creative Director at Publicis Toronto, and with her long-time creative partner oversees Visa Canada among other clients. Tina's birth certificate and passport says she's a Torontonian, but in her heart, she's a New Yorker. Excited to be judging the NYF for the first time; she believes that if she can make it here, she can make it anywhere.

Jasmin is a Copywriter at Joe Public Durban in South Africa. After 5 years in the industry, her parents still don’t know what that means. But that didn’t stop them from telling all their Facebook friends that Loeries ranked her the number 3 Copywriter across Africa and the Middle East. Jazz has bagged multiple awards at the Loeries, Bookmarks, the One Show, and Pendoring, and a shortlist at Cannes. She is also currently a Young Guns finalist and one of the winners of the One Club's Next Creative Leaders. Her hobbies include doing things that scare her, eating pizza with a knife and fork to make the experience last longer, running a women’s community and turning mundane briefs into big ideas. If the advertising thing doesn’t work out, you can find her on the streets (her backup plan is to become a tour guide).

Hi there! I'm an award-winning Group Creative Director AD, obsessed with building brands through strong strategy and craft. I always strive for big ideas that can stand out not only in the market, but in culture. I worked in LA as an Art Director at TBWA/Chiat/Day, as a Creative Executive at CAA and as a Creative Director at Observatory. In 2020 I moved to NY to join Joan Creative and BBH USA. I'm now a back in the sunny coast and work as a GCD at INNOCEAN on the Hyundai account. Before moving to the USA, I used to live and work in Milan, where I'm from. I've been in the industry for more than 15 years working on a very wide range of categories including brands like Hyundai, Netflix, Google, AirBnb, Samsung, Heineken, and many more.

With over 9 years of experience in advertising and design, Sofía is currently an Art Director at Publicis Impetu, where she leads a creative design team. Throughout her career, she has worked with global brands such as Spotify, Unilever, Nestlé, UN Women and UNICEF, guiding teams and developing campaigns that have earned recognition at national and international festivals. She holds a degree in Graphic Design from Universidad ORT, a Master’s in Art Direction in Communication from Universitat de Lleida and was part of the first graduating class of the Postgraduate Program in Creativity and Innovation at Universidad ORT. She believes great advertising is something you feel because it shakes you, makes you think or simply brings a smile to your face. Having served as a juror in international festivals, she has refined her ability to evaluate ideas that stand out not only for creativity and innovation but also for genuine impact on the industry and culture.

Christoffer Vejlo is a Senior Creative at NORD DDB Copenhagen. He brings global experience from working in New York, Paris, and Copenhagen at AKQA, Publicis Le Truc, and NORD DDB. His work has been recognized with awards from Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, Young Guns, and Eurobest.

Teresa Verde Pinho is an award-winning Associate Creative Director at TBWA\Chiat\Day New York and the founder of Quem é Quem, a platform dedicated to supporting and giving visibility to talent within the Portuguese advertising industry. With over 14 years of experience, she has worked in Lisbon, Paris, São Paulo and Los Angeles, creating global campaigns for brands including Nike, Netflix, Coca-Cola, Michelob and Dove. Her work and perspective have led her to serve as a juror at festivals such as SIBI Cannes Lions, Young Lions Portugal, FIAP and Gerety. She also writes a column for Marketeer magazine and regularly speaks, teaches and mentors at creative schools and industry events. In 2020, she was named a Next Creative Leader by The One Club, and in 2022 she participated in the Cannes Lions See It Be It program.

Mel is an Associate Creative Director at Publicis Manila with over 12 years of experience creating work across FMCG, financial services, telco, food, beauty, retail, and government. She began her career in the Philippines as an Art Director, crafting stories alongside industry legends at McCann Worldgroup and VML Manila, where strong thinking, cultural insight, and craft shaped her creative foundation. Her work has been recognized by Cannes Young Lions, APAC Effies, Spikes Asia, New York Festivals, WARC, Asia-Pacific Tambuli, Marketing Excellence Awards Singapore, Branding Asia’s World’s Top 50 Ads, Anvil Awards, Kidlat Awards, Araw Values Awards and YouTube Leaderboard Awards. She also held a regional creative role in Singapore, working across multiple APAC markets, and was later selected as Singapore’s representative to the 2024 Creative LIAisons program in Las Vegas. Wherever she goes, Mel champions ideas that are timeless, organizationally transformative, and unapologetically brave.

Has more than 20 years experience in advertising market and in all platforms: digital, innovation, traditional, brand experience, or content. Internationally awarded at Cannes Lions, D&Ad, One Show, Clio, YouTube Ad Leaderboard, Effie Awards, NYF, and others. And have worked for the most important Ad agencies in Brazil such as PUBLICIS, BETC, TALENT MARCEL, AFRICA DDB, HAVAS+, CP+B, FCB and FBIZ. And created campaigns for clients such as P&G, RECKITT BENCKISER, HERSHEY’S, HEINEKEN, BRADESCO BANK, ITAÚ BANK, MAPFRE INSURANCE, VOLKSWAGEN, HYUNDAI, MITSUBISHI, PEUGEOT, CLARO, VIVO, LOCTITE, BRAHMA BEER, and other brands.

Joe is co-lead on the North America Adobe business at Dentsu Creative. Prior to this role he led in-house creative at Prudential Financial and help leadership roles as Deutsch LA and BBDO NY.

Matilda is a Strategy Director at Weber Shandwick NY, specializing in earned creative campaigns and brand strategy that translates cultural insights into creative and commercial growth. An award-winning strategist, her work has been recognized by the SABRE Awards, Cannes Lions, The Drum and PRWeek. Originally from Stockholm, her Scandinavian roots shape her creative philosophy – grounded in collectivism, simple narratives and human tensions that scratch the itch. She leads strategy for the Mars and Mondelez portfolios and has worked with global consumer brands including Nespresso, OREO and IKEA. At Weber, Matilda co-leads the Cultural Intelligence offering with a focus on trend foresight. Matilda authors agency thought leadership, including the Cannes Report and CultureTap, is a frequent column contributor to PRWeek, a panelist at industry events such as Cannes Lions and a recurring guest lecturer at Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship and Berghs School of Communication.

Marie Walendy is a creative visionary, seamlessly blending artistic prowess with strategic communication, with a strong focus on social and political communication. Her journey began at the esteemed Bauhaus-University, where she graduated summa cum laude in Media Art & Design, complemented by photography and studio arts studies at Concordia University, Montreal. Launching her career at Scholz & Friends, Marie quickly demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit by founding Atelier, her own creative unit, specializing in impactful political and corporate communication. Today, she leads the creative landscape at Scholz & Friends Agenda. As Creative Director, she has spent over a decade crafting impactful cross-media campaigns for ministries, foundations, and corporations. Her management role simultaneously shapes the agency's strategic output, consistently delivering compelling and resonant work for a diverse clientele, including major government bodies and sustainability-focused brands. Her creative excellence is further recognized by numerous awards.

I have 20 plus years experience launching brands, winning business and mentoring young minds. I've uncovered human truths and landed authentic insights for brands like Audi, Google, Xbox and Schwab. People often ask creatives about our process. My answer is always the same. Long showers. My biggest accomplishments have been raising two wonderful children and writing two books, in that order.

Mariana Weinzimer is a seasoned Creative Director with over two decades of diverse creative expertise. Mariana's journey began in her hometown of San Jose, Costa Rica. There, she honed her skills in crafting brand identities and creative solutions for both local and global brands during her tenure at BBDO Costa Rica. Transitioning to Atlanta, Mariana furthered her career by completing the Art Direction program at Portfolio Center. Following her graduation, she embarked on a distinguished career path within the United States' most renowned multicultural agencies, specializing in niche Markets. Throughout her career, Mariana has been integral in driving numerous agencies to achieve notable accolades. Her leadership within creative teams has spearheaded transformative campaigns that have left an indelible mark on the industry.

Tom Wenborn began life training as a chef, before attempting to become a designer, then a copywriter, switched back to design, detoured into art direction, and eventually found his sweet spot somewhere in-between. Over the last 15 years he’s worked at some of Australia’s top agencies—including CHE Proximity, Saatchi & Saatchi and Ogilvy, before joining Thinkerbell in 2018, rising to CCO in 2020. Tom has created some of the country’s most popular and effective campaigns for brands like Cadbury, XXXX, Toyota, Snickers, Furphy, Foxtel, HBO and Bega. His work has been recognised over 100 times at major award shows including D&AD, Cannes, The Webbys, Clios, New York Festivals, London International Awards, The Effies and Young Guns. Beyond awards, he and his work has been featured in Contagious’ Best & Bravest and the Financial Review’s Most Innovative List. He brings a strategic edge to creativity, applying ideas not just to advertising but to the way businesses think, grow and behave. Tom is passionate about simple work that makes a difference, whether that’s helping unfuck the environment or making your Nanna laugh. In his eyes, both are equally important.

I'm from Rio, living in Dubai. Art Director since 2008.

Amy Weston is an Executive Creative Director with over 15 years’ experience developing campaigns for some of Australia’s major brands, including Mazda, Mitsubishi, Pernod Ricard,? 7-Eleven and Bupa. She’s led creative teams on work recognised by Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Spikes, Clio, and Effie awards. Amy also supports the industry mentoring emerging female and nonbinary talent through the Aunties program and has judged work at One Show, AdFest, Cannes Lions, AWARD, and Webby Awards.

Hi there! I’m Sav Wilder, an East Tennessee State University alum with a BA in English. My early leadership experience set the stage for a career built on connection, communication, and creativity. Over the past 5 years, I’ve developed a strong foundation in organic social media marketing, working from both in-house and agency perspectives. Currently, I’m a Social Media Strategist at Tombras, the 2025 Ad Age A-List Agency of the Year, where I've partnered with brands in the food & beverage and automotive industries. I specialize in community management, data analysis, and brand storytelling—crafting organic strategies that spark engagement, drive results, and resonate with communities. I’m driven by curiosity, adaptability, and a belief that challenges are opportunities in disguise. My goal is to continue growing in the marketing industry, building a well-rounded skill set, and contributing meaningfully as part of a collaborative, high-performing team.

Gui Woll is a Brazilian creative based in Dubai, currently working as an Associate Creative Director/Senior Art Director. With experience across the Middle East and international markets, he has led integrated campaigns for global and regional brands in aviation, telecom, finance, retail and lifestyle sectors. His work is rooted in the belief that strong ideas transcend borders, combining cultural insight with bold visual thinking and strategic clarity. Gui has developed concepts and visual systems designed to drive both brand perception and measurable impact. Working within diverse, multicultural environments has shaped his global perspective, blending Latin creativity with the ambition and scale of the Middle Eastern market. His approach balances craft, relevance and originality, always aiming to create work that resonates across audiences and industries.

I'm an award winning senior creative from Sydney, Australia, currently in London. I love bringing human insights to life in emotionally poignant as well as deeply unserious ways.

Jesse Wu is an award-winning creative director, multi-disciplinary designer at the cross of sports and entertainment. As the founder and principal of Dimes Studio, Jesse has led campaigns for a premier roster of clients, including Nike, Moolah Kicks, US Figure Skating, the Washington Capitals and Atlanta Dream, and collegiate powerhouses like Duke, Washington, and Cal. Jesse’s work has earned prestigious accolades from Hashtag Sports, Sports Business Journal, the Davey Awards, and Graphis International. With over a decade of experience leading campaigns and building brands, Jesse’s become a leading voice in the sports creative industry and enjoys using his platform to mentor AAPI creatives looking to break into the space. Born and raised in Maryland, Jesse holds a B.A. in Studio Art from the University of Maryland, College Park. He credits his upbringing—guided by immigrant parents, Daniel and Maryann Wu, who championed the arts over traditional paths—as the foundation for his career.

You can probably tell I have a thing for shoes. That pair in my headshot was inspired by Michael Jordan's fraternity, Omega Psi Phi. The only thing I love more than shoes? Advertising, but not in a weird way.

I’m Daniel E. Ysabel, a Creative Director from the Dominican Republic with more than 12 years of experience crafting ideas that blend cultural insight, strong storytelling, and creative innovation. Throughout my career in agencies such as MullenLowe Interamerica, Publicis, Leo Burnett, and Pagés BBDO, I’ve led integrated campaigns across multiple categories, guiding teams and brands to work that connects deeply with audiences. My projects have been recognized at major international festivals, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio Sports, New York Festivals, Effie Awards, Ad Stars, WARC, Creativepool, and others. I’ve also served as a juror for the Effie Awards Dominicana, contributing to the evaluation of strategic and effective creativity in the region. Originally from the Dominican Republic and now based in Colombia, I bring a regional vision shaped by diverse markets, a commitment to elevating creative standards, and a passion for ideas that push the industry forward.

Paula is a Senior Art Director and creative explorer passionate about craft and storytelling. She blends strong narratives with innovative campaigns, earning recognition at top industry awards including D&AD, Cannes Lions, Young Lions, Dubai Lynx, Effie, Mad Stars, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, Clio Awards, and The One Show. In 2024, she was named one of The One Show’s top young creatives globally, receiving a Pencil and three Merits. In 2025, she was selected for The One Club’s Mentor & Creative Program and recognized as one of Campaign Middle East’s Faces to Watch. Paula’s work is driven by creativity with purpose: crafting meaningful stories, challenging conventions, and delivering impactful, high-level craft. She has worked with leading global brands across Latin America and the Middle East, and is committed to inspiring the next generation of creatives.

Creative Director with over 16 years of experience in the industry, Carla has built her career across agencies such as McCann, MullenLowe, and currently Norlop VML. She has led and contributed to integrated and digital projects for brands including L’Oréal, Cargill, and AB InBev. Her work is driven by strong storytelling, cultural insight, and ideas rooted in social impact — from initiatives that address mental health and gender equity, to projects that challenge everyday inequalities through creativity. She believes advertising can be a powerful tool for social justice when brands use their voice with intention and responsibility. Carla was part of the Cannes Lions 2025 Equity, Representation and Accessibility Programme cohort. Her work has been recognized at regional and local creative festivals. Curious by nature, she draws inspiration from culture, art, trends, and human behavior.

Philip has been a creative at Serviceplan for over four years, working on global brands. The Swiss copywriter entered advertising via Miami Ad School Europe, collaborating with students from around the world. After earning multiple student awards and completing internships in Tokyo, Paris, and New York, he returned to Hamburg to start his professional career at Jung von Matt and Grabarz & Partner. Since then, his work has been recognized at numerous renowned award shows around the world.

Dina Zolan is a New York based creative director and designer working across brand, editorial, and cultural storytelling. With over a decade of experience, she builds visual systems and fully realized worlds that span photography, film, design, and experiential work. Her background sits at the intersection of concept and craft, equal parts strategic and aesthetic, with a sharp eye for tone, texture, and narrative cohesion. Dina has led large scale campaigns for global brands across beauty, lifestyle, food, and beverage, translating complex ideas into work that feels modern, human, and visually distinctive. Her approach blends high production polish with lived in realism, often pulling from fashion, art history, and contemporary culture.