The MUSE Creative Awards Jury is exceptional in the depth of expertise it draws on from its extensive judging community, composed of highly respected and experienced professionals who have distinguished themselves in their field.
Judges are handpicked from a diverse range of marketing and advertising companies as well as disciplines from around the world, bringing industry knowledge and category-specific skill sets to evaluate every entry.
It is with great gratitude and honor that we celebrate these amazing judges for dedicating their time, knowledge as well as hard work to maintain the awards at the highest standards. Without this prestigious group of industry experts' commitment and enthusiasm, the award program would not be possible.
United Kingdom
Graeme Hall
Creative Director, iFour
Graeme set up ifour in 2006 with a vision for making great design accessible for everyone, an ethos that is still subscribed to today. To date, Graeme has over 15 years of experience working in all aspects of then design sector including print, social media marketing, animation, video, and SEO to name a few. Graeme started his creative career working for exclusive motor giants such as Porsche and Ferrari, this gave him a solid foundation for developing inspirational designs that really stood out and inspired audiences in this fast moving brand world. He then took the leap of faith and founded ifour ten years ago with the vision and motto to "make great design accessible to everyone" and to this day he stands by this adage. As Graeme often mentions "it's easy to make something look pretty" but what does design actually mean and how will it impact on a client bottom line? This is and always be the utmost consideration when Graeme gets creative with a brand, website or piece of collateral. He is always looking to push the creative bar with his innovative and inspiring designs and ensures there is always a strategic reason behind everything he creates and this offer clients maximum impact and ROI. As the saying goes you are only as good as your last piece of work and this is never truer than in the world of design and creativity. Last year, Graeme took to the stage to collect the national Recommended Agency Awards for "Creativity & Innovation".
United States
Jennifer Anderson
Creative Director, Creative Strategist and Brand Director, Jennifer Lian Anderson
Jennifer Anderson is a mission-driven Creative Director of Jennifer Lian Anderson with more than 15 years of experience.
Anderson has skillfully overseen diverse accounts spanning the financial and technology sectors, seamlessly navigating the unique challenges posed by start-ups and non-profit organizations alike. Her role as a seasoned businesswoman is marked by a consistent track record of successfully cultivating and elevating brands across various industries. With each venture, she demonstrates a remarkable ability to craft compelling narratives and visual identities, solidifying her reputation as a dynamic force in the realm of creative direction and brand development.
Acknowledging and honoring exemplary performance has consistently served as her guiding principle in steering teams, encompassing both her internal creative teams and those collaboratively formed with clients. Her leadership style is characterized by an emphasis on kindness and compassion, as she endeavors to foster a work environment that prioritizes positive and supportive interactions.
United States
Michael Russo
Cheif Creative Officer, RUSSO Branding Agency
Michael Russo has over 20 years of creative experience with a vast array of clients from coast to coast. As an award-winning Art Director, Copywriter and Designer, Michael has been recognized by the American Advertising Federation, the Silver Microphone Awards, the AIGA, the PIAS, the W3 Interactive Awards, the Horizon Interactive Awards, the Pelican Awards and is a Silver TELLY winner. In addition, Michael is a member of the American Advertising Federation, the AIGA, a past voting member of the Recording Academy of Arts and Sciences (Grammy) and a Silver Council member and Judge of the International TELLY Awards. After receiving his BFA from the University of Louisiana, Michael worked as a Graphic Designer and Copywriter in Seattle, WA. In 2001, after returning to his hometown of Lafayette, LA, Michael co-founded RUSSO - is a strategic branding agency with offices in Lafayette, New Orleans and Nashville. RUSSO uses consumer insight to develop branding initiatives that effectively change the conversation - forming emotional connections between the consumer and the brand.
United States
Scott Berry
President, MarketCrest, LLC
Scott Berry has more than a decade of experience as a Senior Executive/Officer in billion-dollar Print Marketing and Direct Mail companies.
He is also the President of a full-service digital marketing agency, MarketCrest, LLC. His perspective comes from a strong return on investment (ROI) culture which has translated to enormous success for clients. As President of MarketCrest, he constantly evaluates the agency’s work to ensure it’s ready for clients and represents best-in-class deliverables. His team has won both national and international marketing awards including a Vega, NYX, NY Digital, TITAN, NYX and MUSE.
Scott admires creative people and enjoys recognizing exceptional marketing efforts and results. He is a bit of an adrenaline junkie having traveled the globe, jumped from planes, and scuba-dived in countless countries (he is a professional Divemaster and Assistant Instructor).
United States
Abhijeet Rajwade
Sr Customer Engineer, Google
With over 18 years of experience in information technology, Abhijeet Rajwade is a pragmatic and strategy-focused technology executive who delivers success across a wide variety of industries. As a Cloud Customer Engineer at Google, he helps enterprises innovate and transform their businesses using Google Cloud Platform.
His core competencies include cloud infrastructure, enterprise architecture, and product management. Abhijeet has a proven track record of working with enterprises in manufacturing, logistics, retail, oil and gas, insurance, and healthcare domains. Additionally, he has a strong background in system development, visual modeling, design, requirements gathering and analysis, and product management. He is passionate about leveraging cloud technology to solve complex business problems and create value for his clients.
Egypt
Ahmed Alsagheer
Motion Designer/Art Director, Asharq Business with Bloomberg
Ahmed Alsagheer is a seasoned senior motion designer and Art Director with over a decade of experience, showcasing a remarkable blend of skills and creativity. His portfolio boasts exceptional work delivered to prestigious clients such as The EU, FIFA, Bloomberg, McDonald's, Dubai Government, and many more. Ahmed's expertise in motion design has left an indelible mark on various projects across different industries.
With a keen eye for detail and a passion for innovation, Ahmed has consistently pushed the boundaries of visual storytelling through his work. His ability to conceptualize and execute captivating designs has earned him recognition as a leading professional in the field.
Having worked with renowned organizations on high-profile projects, Ahmed brings a wealth of experience and expertise to every endeavor he undertakes. His dedication to delivering top-notch quality while meeting client expectations sets him apart as a reliable and sought-after creative professional.
Ahmed's creative vision is not only reflected in his impressive client list but also in the impact his work has had on audiences worldwide. His designs have resonated with viewers, effectively conveying messages and narratives in engaging ways.
United States
Akiko Yamashita
Immersive Media Artist / Creative Director, VTProDesign
Yamashita has produced award-winning multimedia works that go beyond technical wizardry to achieve an extraordinary level of artistry that immerse audiences in transcendent and meditative 3D experiences that few, if any, multimedia designers working today can achieve. Hana Fubuki interactive flowers projection exhibited in the Main Gallery at Artechouse DC as a part of In Peaks Bloom in Washington, D.C. Artechouse commissioned Yamashita’s multimedia talents based on her international reputation for creating interactive artwork that provide a unique sense of well-being to audiences. As one of the original members of VTProDesign, she has worked with many brands such as Google, Netflix, Meta, Nike and RayBan to create never-seen before immersive brand activation throughout the world. Her works combine storytelling with technologies such as projection mapping, LED, robotics to interactive audio-visuals. In recognition of her high standing and significant contributions, Yamashita was recently featured in a short film made for Apple MacBookPro launch keynote presented by Tim Cook as one of “the new generation of makers” recognized for trailblazing innovations.
Colombia
Alejandro Calero
Chief Innovation Officer, ONU / UN WOMEN
Alejandro Calero graduated in advertising and marketing at FADP - Colombia. He was the Executive Creative Director at MULLEN LOWE, McCANN, and SANCHO BBDO, and is currently a consultant in Innovation and Communications for the United Nations UN Women.
He has led multidisciplinary processes and teams for brands such as Coca Cola, Alpina (Alpinito, Boggy, Alpin) Renault, Unilever (Rexona), Tigo, Avianca, Bayer (Alka Seltzer, Aspirin 100, Apronax, Tabcin) Mercedes-Benz, Sony, Pernod Ricard (Chivas Regal - Absolut Vodka), Movistar, United Nations (UNHCR, UN Women, UN verification mission), AV Villas and Mercado Libre.
He has obtained mentions and awards at festivals such as El Ojo de Iberoamérica, New York Festival, FIAP, LUX, Cannes Lions, EFFIE Colombia, and EFFIE LATAM, where it has been the main protagonist in the appointments of Sancho BBDO as the most effective agency in the world for 5 years.
Russia
Aleksandr Tikhonov
Founder, Contorra Family
Aleksandr Tikhonov established Contorra, a web agency headquartered in Sochi.
In 2005, while residing in Ukraine, he embarked on his IT journey, initially working as a translator, rewriter, and copywriter. Over time, he progressed through roles in customer service, junior marketing, and business development. Then, in 2008, Aleksandr's passion for Drupal led to the establishment of Contorra, a web agency in Sochi. It started as a small, dedicated team that crafted some of Russia's most remarkable Drupal sites. Later, they honed their skills with Magento and WordPress, resulting in an impressive portfolio of 150 active customer websites by 2017, not to mention numerous logos and brand identities.
His commitment to staying abreast of industry developments and his passion for acquiring new skills have further enhanced his capabilities, making him more than capable to assess and make informed decisions in his adjudicatory role.
Italy
Alessandro Miasi
Creative Director and Bilingual Copywriter, Leagas Delaney Italia
Alessandro Miasi is the Creative Director of Leagas Delaney Italia and an award-winning creative and bilingual copywriter with over 10 years of experience.
A copywriter of acclaimed repute, recognized with prestigious awards on the global stage. In his role as a Senior Copywriter, he takes on the important responsibility of guiding and nurturing young creative talents as they embark on their initial foray into the industry. His mentorship plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of these budding professionals, offering them invaluable insights and guidance to thrive in the world of advertising and copywriting.
Over the course of his career, he has collaborated with both major networks and boutique agencies, handling diverse global and national clients. This diverse experience has allowed him to enrich and expand his business acumen, working across various media platforms while consistently delivering high-quality ideas and solutions.
Italy
Alessandro Sciortino
Chief Creative Officer, Traditional and Digital Advertising Expert, McCann Worldgroup
Alessandro Sciortino is the Chief Creative Officer of McCann Worldgroup with an international experience of 20 years in traditional and digital advertising.
Sciortino has had the privilege to create campaigns for renowned clients like MasterCard, Honda, Opel, Alitalia, FAO, Poste, and more. With a Master's Degree in Economics, Alessandro began as a copywriter and later rose to prominence as a global campaign leader, specializing in automotive, financial, and corporate communication.
He has garnered over 30 prestigious awards on a global scale for his exceptional work. Additionally, he shares his extensive knowledge and expertise by serving as an instructor in the fields of advertising and copywriting. Furthermore, he holds an esteemed position as a member of the Scientific Committee at the University of Tor Vergata, contributing to academic advancements and research in his field.
Poland
Alex Brodsky
CEO, Playsense
Alex Brodsky is a senior marketing executive with over a decade of senior management experience. He previously ran Wargaming's in-house agency, one of the largest in-house agencies in the video game industry.
Alex is now the CEO of Playsense, a global creative agency for video games, with clients including Riot Games, Ubisoft, Wargaming, Krafton, and Tencent. He has managed cross-cultural teams of approximately 200 people across Europe and APAC, overseeing 7-figure budgets. His teams have worked with major game titles, Hollywood and music icons, and have won numerous prestigious industry awards.
He led the business through challenging times such as the pandemic, revolution, and war, although he wishes these hardships had never occurred. Despite these challenges, Alex and his partners started a new company when the world was in turmoil, achieving this feat in less than two months, demonstrating an expert level of difficulty.
Currently, Alex's focus is on Playsense, which he co-founded and where he serves as CEO. Playsense is an award-winning creative agency for video games.
Australia
Alexandre Collares
Creative Art Director, Ogilvy Australia
Alexandre de Mello Collares is a prominent creative art director of Ogilvy Australia.
Collares possesses more than a decade of experience in the advertising industry, having worked in both large and mid-sized agencies in the Australian and Brazilian markets, including DDB, McCann, Geometry Global, and Fox Sports, among others. Throughout his career, he has had the opportunity to collaborate with esteemed clients such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Fox Sports, SC Johnson, Westpac, and numerous others, allowing him to accumulate knowledge and exchange insights with a diverse and talented group of professionals.
He remains consistently focused and self-motivated, excelling both individually and in teamwork. With a profound passion for creative ideas and meticulous execution, he anticipates that his finest project is yet to come.
United States
Alexandre Kazuo Kubo
Associate Creative Director, McCann NY
Alexandre Kazuo Kubo is a craft-obsessed, design-based and conceptual thinker kind of creative art director. He has been working on advertising, design, and art directions since 2004, and spent most of those years in Brazil, while recently moved to the US in 2021.
Throughout his career, he has been fortunate to contribute to global brands such as Stella Artois, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, BMW, Peugeot, Citroën, Gatorade, Puma, and ESPN. Furthermore, he was recognized in some of the most important Festivals in the world, like Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, ADC, Clio, among others.
United States
Ali Jaffar
Founder and Chief Experience Officer and Social Entrepreneur, Key Medium
Ali Jaffar, the Founder and Chief Experience Officer of Key Medium, is a social entrepreneur, design thinker, technologist, and a prominent leader in both the tech and design realms.
Jaffar heads Key Medium, overseeing the use of human-centered design, web development, and digital marketing to facilitate the growth and transformation of organizations. Key Medium's work has been honored with more than 50 international awards, and they've had the privilege of collaborating with clients such as J&J, The Forbes Funds, The University of Pittsburgh, and the State of NJ.
He has a strong passion for developing sustainable solutions that foster economic self-reliance and create a positive social impact. Additionally, he serves as a Board Member at Philadelphia OIC, an organization dedicated to offering workforce development training and assistance to individuals facing challenges.
United States
Alice Jasmine Crippa
Creative Futurist, Zeus Jones
Alice Crippa is a true believer in the power of creativity to build a better future where we can all live in a more equal and nourishing society. With 10+ years of experience built working on the toughest clients’ challenges, she has a passion for complex projects inspiring deep industry shifts and the creation of new ways of working.
After winning awards at Leo Burnett Milan and FCB Chicago, she’s now one of the Creative Futurists at Zeus Jones (a B Corp!) actively partnering with audacious US companies focused on building today the best possible tomorrow, not just for themselves but for everyone.
As a passionate advocate of innovation as creative and economic multiplier, she dedicates a lot of time to study and champion the efforts previously made by her colleagues. She believes that striving to elevate standards of the creative industry is the first step to enable a more transformative role for ideas in our future.
As lecturing professor at Polytechnic University of Milan, she studies alternative brainstorming methods that help non-creatively-trained experts to be active, transformational forces in future-making.
An immigrant and firm advocate of the value of non-native talents, she is passionate about helping her fellow jurors appreciate cultural nuances and subtle insights that might provide even more context on the hidden potential of a good idea.
Alice Crippa is a relentless champion of timely human insights, value-building innovation, and culture-shifting executions.
United States
Ananya Jha
Partner Lead, Google
Ananya Jha is a seasoned digital marketing strategist with over a decade of experience crafting data-driven media campaigns that fuel transformative business growth. Her deep understanding of creative executions and audience psychology allows her to deliver impactful stories across digital channels.
United Kingdom
Andrea Foresi
Associate Creative Director, Media.Monks London
Andrea Foresi holds the position of Associate Creative Director at Media.Monks London, where he excels in offering creative guidance, art direction, and conceptual development expertise.
Throughout his career, Foresi has continually honed his forward-thinking, tech-driven approach, remaining at the forefront of innovation, particularly within the digital landscape. He places great emphasis on gaining a comprehensive understanding of each client's specific challenges, allowing him to develop bespoke and highly effective solutions. This unwavering dedication underscores his mission to cultivate creativity and disruption, all while bolstering brand visibility and delivering on customer satisfaction.
He has amassed a wealth of experience with a diverse range of global and independent agencies, such as Publicis Milan and Wunderman UK. Throughout his career, he has tackled significant challenges for numerous major brands, including BMW, Bentley, Renault, Microsoft, Heineken, Shell, and GSK.
Bulgaria
Angel Iskrev
Co-Founder and Creative Director, proof.
Angel Iskrev serves as the co-founder and creative director at proof, an independent creative agency located in Bulgaria.
With over eight years of experience in the advertising industry, he has honed his skills, including a tenure as a creative director at DDB Sofia. His extensive experience positions him as a seasoned professional capable of delivering innovative and impactful creative solutions for clients.
Iskrev's portfolio includes collaborations with renowned brands like Telenor Hungary&Bulgaria, Carlsberg Bulgaria, TELUS International Europe, McDonald's, and Somersby, among others. His outstanding work has earned him over 120 awards at both national and international festivals. Additionally, he is an active member of the IAB Bulgaria board and shares his expertise as a visiting lecturer at New Bulgarian University. In his leisure time, he also showcases his talents as a sports commentator on Eurosport, boasting a remarkable record of covering five Olympic Games.
United States
Anna Mader
SVP, Head of Creative, XD Agency
As a long-time creative director, Anna is a passionate storyteller who has spearheaded experiences for some of the world’s most iconic brands. In her role as Head of Creative at XD Agency, Anna propels the agency’s creative vision forward and fosters an environment ripe for bold ideas and the strategic insight essential for exceptional creative work. She also mentors the creative team, ensuring that every experience the agency delivers aligns with the client's business objectives. Prior to joining XD Agency, Anna led experience design for major brands such as Google, Amazon, Adobe, LinkedIn, AT&T, Visa, and YouTube.
United States
Antara Dave
UX Designer, Microsoft
Antara Dave is a User Experience Designer and Artist with a unique blend of skills, combining her foundation in Data Analytics and Visualization with her passion for product design. With over 4 years of experience, she has made significant contributions in both multi-national corporations like Microsoft and The Home Depot.
Antara’s interdisciplinary background in user experience and data visualization allows her to bridge the gap between Design and Data. She strongly advocates for making design decisions that are data-driven and visually simple. Antara emphasizes the importance of evidence-based choices and the power of simplicity in creating impactful user experiences.
As the lead UX designer for Microsoft’s Azure Experimentation Studio Team, Antara plays a pivotal role in shaping one of the world’s largest experimentation platforms. Trusted by premier Microsoft teams such as Azure, Teams, Bing, and Office, this platform impacts millions of users globally. Antara’s responsibilities span from ideation to creating fully curated interactive designs, ensuring that the product is not only visually appealing but also highly functional.
Beyond her UX design expertise, Antara is also an accomplished artist. She expresses her creativity through various mediums, including gouache paintings, handmade flower wall art, bead earrings, and printmaking. Recently, her artwork was showcased at the Kirkland Arts Center in Seattle, Washington. She was also invited to be a guest lecturer at the Design Department at the Arizona State University, while only recently completing her professional speech at MIT’s Code Conference. In addition to such achievements, Antara is also a proud awardee of 6 major international and national design awards.
United Kingdom
Anthony Jones
Creative Director, The Drawing Room Creative
Anthony Jones holds the role of Creative Director at The Drawing Room Creative, a company renowned for providing highly influential creative solutions in the United Kingdom.
In his capacity as the creative head of diverse and proficient creative and development teams, this role entails responsibilities such as team and line management, operational oversight, creative direction, strategic planning, art direction, and process management. He remains actively engaged in the creative process when necessary. Throughout his career, he and his teams have garnered accolades for their exceptional work, collaborating with globally renowned brands like ghd, BP, EA Games, DHL, Financial Times, Michelin, Nissan, Barclaycard, CITI Financial Europe, Shell, Crown Paints, Virgin, and LG.
Jones is dedicated to delivering high-quality and effective creative solutions for business challenges. His approach combines diverse perspectives, expert craftsmanship, and insight-driven strategy.
Canada
Ashwin Kutty
President & CEO, WeUsThem Inc.
As a Marketer, Communicator, Advertiser, and overall Strategist, Ashwin Kutty has had the pleasure and honor of leading executions with a brilliant team at WeUsThem on a global stage (140 countries and counting) with a client roster that rivals our competitors near and far.
From running campaigns to delivering on web and mobile properties to advertising across broadcast mediums to delivering on retail executions across mediums to attending to behavior change while predicting and enticing consumer buying behavior patterns, our team is both uniquely positioned and internationally recognized for the work they have put out.
With a breadth of knowledge across industries such as Hospitality, Tourism, Healthcare, Academia, Oil & Gas, Fashion, Food and Beverages, Construction, and Real Estate, he and his company continue to expand their exposures across all three sectors spanning a wide spectrum of demographics and geographies.
As they explore the facets of our industry in Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, Big Data, and Experiential Experiences to drive consumer engagement, his company is building the confluence of a brilliantly structured full-service agency that drives creative business level growth.
Brazil
Augusto Jesus Correia
Creative Director, Publicis Middle East
Augusto Jesus Correia holds the position of Creative Director at Publicis Middle East and serves as a mentor at the Miami Ad School.
Correia's dedication as an individual shine through in his dual roles as a contributor at Publicis Middle East and a mentor at the Miami Ad School. His commitment extends beyond his professional responsibilities, as he wholeheartedly embraces the role of an educator. Through teaching creativity and case video storytelling, he actively imparts his wealth of knowledge and expertise to the next generation of creative minds.
Correia's passion for nurturing talent and fostering creativity exemplifies his dedication to empowering others with the skills and insights needed to succeed in the advertising and marketing industry. His unwavering commitment to his craft has resulted in him receiving more than 500 awards for his outstanding work.
United States
Barney Goldberg
Executive Creative Director, INNOCEAN USA
Barney has led Hyundai's entire Super Bowl efforts for several years. This included leading multiple teams, selling the work through the Hyundai network and producing all the spots.
He also co-creative-directed the integrated campaign for Hyundai’s partnership with The Walking Dead. The Chop Shop App created enabled fans to customize three Hyundais with over 700 different weapons. The Chop Shop became the #1 car app on iTunes, had over 500K downloads, and won numerous industry awards. It also led to a 150% increase in Hyundai.com traffic.
Additionally, Barney also creative-directed the campaign for Hyundai’s sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup. The hashtag, #becausefutbol, enabled Hyundai to be a part of the World Cup conversation. The #becausefutbol campaign netted a 40% increase in Twitter followers for Hyundai and was recognized by Mashable as one of three brands “getting it right” during the Cup. Hyundai finished second only to Adidas for the most popular brand on Twitter. Partnering with Tumblr, we created 170 pieces of art for fans on our 'becausefutbol' page leading to a 300% increase in brand impression and Hyundai’s highest July sales ever.
He also creative-directed Hyundai’s branded partnership with TNT’s Inside The NBA, moving the partnership from product placement to social engagement with Kenny, trending on Twitter the night it aired.
He's judged The 2015 One Show for Branded Entertainment and The New York Festival 2015 for Branded Entertainment, and was also a panelist at the 2014 4As Conference, discussing Branded Content and its future in advertising.
Recent awards include 2 Bronze Pencils for Hyundai's The Walking Dead partnership, as well as: a Silver Effie, 2 Cannes Shortlists and Webby Award for Integrated Mobile Experience.
United States
Betsy Jemas
Executive Creative Director, Organic
Betsy Jemas is ECD at Organic in New York. Betsy has been creative directing since she was 4 years old. Now, as Executive Creative Director of Organic’s New York office, she leads the New York creative team by focusing on future-proofing brands through digital transformation rooted in human emotion, storytelling, and culture.
Switzerland
Birger Linke
Global Campaign Leader,
Birger Linke holds the position of Global Campaign Lead at RHYTHM 108, where he also regularly delivers lectures on marketing and advertising in addition to his involvement in design projects.
As the Global Campaign Leader, he directs a diverse in-house team of creative and marketing professionals spanning offices in Geneva and London. Their mission is to introduce consciously crafted vegan chocolate and cookies, the first of their kind in Switzerland, to a global audience.
With two decades in the communication industry, Linke has worked on both agency and client sides as a creative and marketer for renowned organizations such as Springer & Jacoby, Saatchi & Saatchi, JWT, Leo Burnett, Ogilvy, and BBDO Interone. He founded TBWA\Vietnam and is a partner in the headphone startup Lynxsonic, earning him multiple awards for his dedication.
Netherlands
Bob van de Gronde
Co-founder & Film director, Eyeforce
As one of the founders of Eyeforce and a guy who doesn’t need much sleep, Bob is a fundamental part of the team. Over the past ten years, Bob has proven to be an energetic director who always challenges himself, his team, and his clients creatively. His work often revolves around inspiring characters and transformational narratives and he has a great affinity with sports. He doesn’t care too much about phrases like ‘impossible’, or ‘difficult’. If you envision something spectacular, Bob is first in line to make it bigger and make it happen. And with over a decade of experience in creating, writing, and shooting films, commercials, extreme sports tv-programs, and online series, he knows his stuff well.
United States
Boris Labourguigne
Co Founder, Left
Boris Labourguigne is the co-founder & president of Left, a full-service creative production company with offices in Los Angeles, Paris, and London. Boris began his career in France, in the late 2000s with the creation of 3èmegauche, a YouTube channel dedicated to acoustic live performances & interviews with major music artists. over a 7-year span, Boris went on to create more than 600 videos with 500 artists. he met in 2012 his eventual business partner Augustin de Belloy.
The two shared a mutual frustration with the current state of the video production industry, and the outdated barriers of entry. So together they founded left with the common goal of liberating creativity in the industry, and more specifically, developing a place where talents can fully express themselves with autonomy and support.
Since then, left has gone on to work with major brands like; Adidas, Nike, Cartier, LVMH, & eBay, as well as international artists; Megan Thee Stallion, Diplo, Saweetie, Christina Aguilera, Gary Clark Jr, & L'impératrice just to name just a few. and through it all, Boris's focus has remained the same - to support artists doing what they do best: create.
United States
Brad Abrahams
Independent Filmmaker, Commercial Director, and Editor, Extrasensory Pictures
Brad Abrahams is a documentary filmmaker and commercial director based in Canada and the USA. He has previously worked as a creative director for Digital Kitchen in Seattle, and is now on the roster of Curator Pictures. He documents and create films on esoteric and offbeat subject matter for the wider masses. Brad's professional and independent work has been seen by millions and covered by Fareed Zakaria on CNN, Fast Company, Wired, Vice, Huffington Post, Cosmopolitan, Gawker, LA Times, The Onion AV Club, The Verge, Indiewire, and more. Recently, Brad has also been making film projects with Bill Gates for his philanthropy work.
Portugal
Carla Neves
Marketing Manager & Account Executive, M&A Creative Agency
Considering the large experience working in the industry, Carla Neve is a Marketing Manager and more recently as Account Executive, especially with a recognized know-how and expertise in packaging design for the wine and beverage sector. Carla Neves's Agency has been awarded several times in the past years, and she leads a multidisciplinary, highly experienced and responsive team.
United States
Chuck McBride
Founder and Partner, Cutwater
Chuck McBride established Cutwater in 2007 and took on the role of a partner in the firm.
As a co-founder of Cutwater, he played a pivotal role in the agency's growth and success. Under his dynamic leadership, Cutwater produced renowned and influential campaigns for various prominent brands. Notable achievements included iconic work for brands like Ray-Ban, Levi Strauss, American Giant, Ariat, Jeep, LensCrafters, and BNP Paribas. His creative vision and strategic insights were instrumental in shaping the agency's ability to deliver impactful and memorable advertising, establishing Cutwater as a noteworthy player in the industry.
McBride exhibited unwavering dedication to ensure that Cutwater remained at the forefront of the industry. His commitment to excellence and innovation led the agency to secure numerous accolades and awards, reflecting his relentless pursuit of creative excellence. Cutwater's consistent recognition through multiple awards stands as a testament to his leadership and his unyielding determination.
Germany
Claudia Goergen
Managing Director, FILMUNIQUE Medienproduktion, GmbH
Claudia Goergen serves as the Managing Director of FILMUNIQUE Medienproduktion GmbH and boasts an extensive professional background spanning various media sectors.
With numerous years of professional experience in public relations, web development, and film production, Goergen has held pivotal roles within companies and contributed to various enterprises. Her expertise extends beyond recognizing the potential strengths of a campaign; she also possesses a discerning eye for identifying its shortcomings, whether related to feasibility or the ability to reach the intended target audiences. Her multifaceted experience equips her with a holistic understanding of media and communication.
She plays a vital role in establishing an atmosphere where every team member is encouraged to bring their distinct contributions, recognizing that this inclusive strategy is what drives innovation and the emergence of new concepts. The team excels at embracing individuality, promoting mutual respect, and nurturing trust among its members.
United States
Dan May
Associate Professor of Art and Design, University of Nebraska- Kearney
Dan has been involved in juries for student work across the midwest. He has 20 years of professional experience in the music and entertainment design industry in San Francisco, and Chicago. He has designed for Eric Clapton, John Lennon, and many others. He also did merchandise design work on the 'Kill Bill' franchise. Dan has been in internationally acclaimed juried shows, and have been involved in design at nearly every level of experience from web to print. His hallmark has been finding the humor in the sublime world of power, politics, and religion. In that vein, his ironic work parodying the nuclear civil defense posters of the 1950s entitled "Thank God for the Atomic Bomb," and "Dr. Mutato Explains it all," was published in the "International Show Against Nuclear Testing," Catalog as well as being part of the United Nations exhibition in New York and Vienna. Pieces of his work Pin Ball Philosophy Series were featured in the 'New York Now' exhibition in 2015 where he depicted religious icons as the subject matter in pinball game displays. But he does take his work seriously in that he endeavors to understand human attraction to things, his article on sustainable design, and how to combat the process of creating desire when a need does not exist was published as part of a journal on new approaches to educating in the Library of Congress in 2011, and his continuing research into the neuroaesthetics realm attempts to begin the process of quantifying the concepts of beauty for use in the design field, and the classroom.
Brazil
Daniel da Hora
Professor,
Daniel da Hora is a highly acclaimed graphic designer known for his numerous awards and achievements in the field. He wears multiple hats as a creative and art director, an innovator, an accomplished author, and a dedicated professor.
Considered one of the most influential figures of his generation, da Hora brings two decades of expertise to his name. Beyond his many contributions to the advertising, marketing, and design industries, he also thrives as a visual artist, showcasing his work in both group and solo exhibitions across countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, England, France, and the United States.
He is a dedicated leader and mentor, known for innovation and results-driven approaches. With extensive experience in managing complex creative projects from start to finish, he combines graphic design, art direction, product, and business insights, fostering creativity, technology, and innovation. He inspires individuals and teams, leading by example.
United States
Daniel Lobaton
Executive Creative Director, Saatchi & Saatchi NY
Daniel Lobatón is the Executive Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi New York, where he garnered critical acclaim for clients such as P&G, Wendy’s, Mars Chocolate, Colgate, Chevrolet, and Major League Baseball.
A native of Lima, Peru, Daniel’s best work is with Tide, where his Super Bowl 2018 ad campaign, ‘It’s a Tide Ad’, generated so much interest that it was recognized by the industry’s top award shows including Cannes Lions, and more.
United States
Dave Benton
Founder / Creative Director, Metajive
In 1995, curiosity has lead Dave Benton to create his first web page, in the summer of 2000 he fell head over heels in love with flash and the process of interactive production. He started freelancing before he graduated from college and each project lead to another exciting opportunity. Organically freelancing turned into founding and growing Metajive. Metajive has been his labor of love for the last decade and allowed the opportunity to build a company, grow a team and collaborate with some of the best brands and agencies in the world. This has allowed him the opportunity of creating everything from websites, apps and digital products to social campaigns and digital instilations. After all this time he is still in love with the process of interactive design.
United States
David Valenzia
Creative Director, ThoughtLab LLC
With a decade of experience - 5+ years in leadership roles - driving campaign strategy, messaging, and art direction, David Valenzia directed communications across a variety of functional areas including branding, advertising, and interactive (display, email, search, social, and web), including the conceptual development of global, integrated campaigns. In these roles, David directly engaged with and managed teams of graphic designers, writers, content strategists, experience strategists, UX designers, interactive producers, front-end and back-end web developers, and software engineers. David challenges assumptions: an explorer, investigator, listener and adventurer ambitiously curious about the outside world. He focuses experiential design and engaging others: individual and organization engagement, motivation, and goals should be at the core of every idea. Long lasting solutions can be created with dialogue, honesty, inclusion, and hard work: exploring ideas and innovations will shape the future of design by rethinking form, function, and aesthetics. He is currently the Head of Creative Strategy for ThoughtLab, developing internal systems, marketing strategies, and client design.
India
Deepti Kshirsagar
Partner and Chief Design Strategist, TCT Branding
Deepti Kshirsagar holds the position of partner and chief design strategist at TCT Branding.
Kshirsagar leverages her extensive decade-long expertise in design and branding as the Chief Design Strategist at TCT Branding. She plays a central part in the development and execution of strategic design initiatives. Her impact extends to the successful introduction of several prominent global brands into the Indian market, showcasing her ability to drive brand recognition and market presence through thoughtful design strategies. She is involved in crafting innovative and effective approaches to design that elevate brands and create lasting impressions.
She holds the belief that design is evolving in tandem with culture, and the traditional view of design solely as aesthetically pleasing art needs to adapt accordingly. There is a fresh surge of enthusiasm for exploring uncharted territories in design and communication, and it is vital to direct this newfound energy effectively.
Germany
Diane Schulz
General Manager, Serviceplan Group
Diane Schulz boasts a 24-year advertising career and currently holds the position of General Manager at Serviceplan Group.
As a General Manager in the digital agency, she is at the helm of a dynamic team, guiding them through the ever-evolving landscape of the digital world. Her responsibilities extend to developing and executing digital strategies that drive online presence and engagement for clients. She ensures seamless project management, fosters innovation, and maintains a sharp focus on achieving results in the digital realm.
Schulz excels not only in her expertise but also in her ability to inspire and engage her team with infectious enthusiasm. Her reputation for clarity, dependability, and a sharp analytical acumen makes her an invaluable asset in steering her team's efforts towards shared goals, and her approach to teamwork is a perfect blend of fairness and good-natured camaraderie, creating an environment where collaboration thrives and collective achievements are celebrated.
United States
DJ Summitt
Founder and Art Director, Summitt FilmWorks
DJ Summitt is the visionary founder of SummittFilmWorks, boasting an impressive record of awards and recognition as an art director.
Positioned at the intersection of different generations and spanning across diverse nations, Summitt skillfully combines cutting-edge methods, established design principles, a rigorous approach, global expertise, and a touch of that unique "x-factor" to propel his clients' projects and products beyond the confines of the screen and seamlessly integrate them into the lives of their audience.
His adaptability is underpinned by a strong technological acumen, boasting proficiency in Adobe CC, Avid, and Salesforce. Summitt exhibist a comprehensive grasp of industry best practices in UI/UX, SEO, mobile design, and HTML/CSS. His innovative spirit shines through, as he thrives on tackling challenges and continuously generating fresh designs, solutions, and prospects both for themselves and their organization. They approach their work with unwavering dedication resulting in a consistent track record of achievements.
Germany
Dmitriy Glazyrin
Production Director / CGI Generalist, Mondlicht Studios GmbH
Dmitriy Glazyrin is an experienced freelance Creative Artist with a demonstrated history of working in the art and advertising industry. After graduating from Realtime School (3D Generalist), he has a highly developed skillset in CGI, art direction, digital matte painting, and retouching.
Dmitriy has been working in the advertising industry for more than 10 years and has worked with creative agencies such as Platinum FMD (Brasil), Lightfarm (New Zealand), Cream (Australia), RecomFarmHouse (UK), Western and Jack (Russia) to name a few.
During his time at these agencies, Dmitriy has worked on projects for household brand names including Coca-Cola, Wacom, Netflix, Toyota, Ford, Lexus, Philips, Nestle, Lego, Adidas, and many others.
Dmitriy is also a teaching artist at Unhide school and Skillbox online university and continues to service his global list of clients.
Canada
Donald Samson
Creative Director, ZA communication
Donald loves innovation. He likes to follow the news for global advertising and be able to compare the trend was. A Graphic Designer by trade, he quickly transformed himself into an Art Director thanks to his talent for perfectly merging rigour with inspiration. The superior quality of his work, both print and TV, has repeatedly earned him the respect of his peers who have rewarded his work with over forty honours, including being chosen as a finalist at the prestigious International Advertising Festival in Cannes. Donald is now Creative Director at CART1ER, where he easily wins the top prize for the most communicative laugh in the building. He was recognized and awarded at prestigious competitions as Cannes Lions, Crea, Marketing Awards, Applied Arts, Media Award, etc.
Hong Kong SAR
Dr. Ken Ip
Chairman, Asia MarTech Society
Dr. Ken Ip serves as the chairman of the Asia MarTech Society and holds advisory roles in numerous professional organizations, including two universities. He is an award-winning brand strategist, associate professor, columnist, and expert commentator specializing in Tech, Web3, Branding, and e-Commerce.
Ip has occupied diverse high-ranking roles within prominent multinational corporations and conglomerates, spanning from corporate consulting to providing advisory services in public affairs. Additionally, he serves as a strategic advisor for a Web3-focused venture capital firm with assets totaling USD 75 million.
He stands as a luminary in his industry, showcasing a wealth of accomplishments and contributions. His extensive experience in senior positions within leading multinationals and conglomerates reflects his profound impact on corporate consulting and public affairs advisory. Furthermore, as a chairman and a key figure on advisory boards for esteemed universities, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of marketing technology and education.
United States
Echo Chernik
Advertising Illustrator, Echo-X, LLC
Echo Chernik has over twenty years of experience as a professional commercial illustrator in the advertising field. She is best known for her art nouveau and decorative styles. Clients include: Celestial Seasonings Teas, Miller, Camel, Coors, USPS, Nascar, Trek, Publix, Disney, Random House, Penguin, DeKuyper and many more. On the book publishing side, she is equally known for her work in the rpg industry, especially for the rpg Shadowrun. She currently resides in Seattle, WA. www.echo-x.com
United States
Eduardo Gomes
Senior Art Designer/Art Director, Publicis NYC
Eduardo Gomes is a hands-on Art Director and Visual Designer from Rio de Janeiro-Brazil. He lives in NYC and is currently working as a Senior Art Director at Publicis-NY.
He's passionate about craft and that’s the driving force behind his work. As a multidisciplinary creative, he's happy working with Art Direction, Visual Design, UI/UX, and Branding.
He's helped great brands like Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Heineken, City, Cadillac, Walmart, Oracle, Anderson Silva, MAM-RJ, to name a few, and his work was recognized by major awards shows like One Show, ADC, Cannes Lion, AICP, FIP, Ampro and Colunistas.
Hong Kong SAR
Edward Cheung
Creative Director, Dentsu Creative
Edward Cheung is a quadrilingual creative who grew up in Hong Kong, spent a working holiday in Australia, advanced in the Japanese language (JLPT N1), and developed his career in Shanghai, China. With over ten years of experience in the advertising field, Edward has developed a strong portfolio of creative works for brands such as Shell, Oreo, Reebok, Unilever, Lancôme, Land Rover, and Perrier.
Edward joined Dentsu Creative, one of the largest and most innovative agency networks in the world in 2020. In this role, he served as a creative lead for brands like Sangokushi Strategic Version (Ali Games), Alibaba Group, American Express, Dicos, and, most importantly, Shell across various media platforms and channels.
More than a seasoned advertising creative at agencies, before joining Dentsu, Edward was a creative lead at Oliver, a UK in-house agency network. He gained himself a unique experience to work closely in the client’s team as an in-house creative solely for Reebok GC and APAC before transferring to the team for Unilever.
Canada
Elana Rudick
Founder, Creative Director, Design Is Yummy
Elana Rudick has been working as a professional in the creative industry for over a decade. In 2009, she founded DESIGN IS YUMMY, a full-service design studio operating in Montreal, Quebec that offers print and web design solutions. Their clean aesthetic has earned them international recognition. As a Creative Director of the small but mighty studio, she is well versed in providing professional critique. As a Creative Director, she has her hands in the design process daily which keeps her up to date on the latest print and web design trends. Through her role in staffing their team with Graphic Designers and Illustrators, she has reviewed hundreds of portfolios over the years. She is a judge for the Creativity International Awards and in various local portfolio reviews.
United States
Emaneul Kapp
Director of Operations, Stewards of Wildlife
Emanuel Kapp is the director of operations in the Stewards of Wildlife Conservation (SWC).
Participating actively in the day-to-day management, coordination, and execution of various projects is not only thrilling but also fulfilling. His recent journey to South Africa proved highly successful in gathering essential data for the Rhino Forever Project, significantly advancing their efforts to bring Southern White Rhinos to Texas. Additionally, he has the honor of collaborating with like-minded professionals in the field, as he attends trade shows to advocate for conservation initiatives and raise funds for both SWC and their conservation partners.
Through SWC, he has been provided with a platform that enables him to effect change, not only for African wildlife but also for species from around the world. His involvement in both in-situ and ex-situ conservation efforts has expanded his knowledge in the field and allowed him to contribute significantly to conservation on various fronts.
United States
Eric Ortiz
Creative Director, O2 Advertising
Eric is a senior marketing creative with over 25 years of experience in building campaigns for digital and traditional advertising channels – with extensive work in healthcare, insurance, and food industries. His ability to develop and move creative concepts forward has earned him industry recognition and international awards for exceptional work. Eric is the founder of O2 Advertising, a boutique advertising, and marketing studio focused on bringing client insights and strategies to life while maximizing impact and ROI. He is passionate about blending traditional principles with digital experiences and committed to staying at the forefront of the latest trends and emerging technologies.
Hong Kong SAR
Eunice Wong
Chief Brand Consultant, wowwowtank
Eunice Wong has extensive marketing & management experience as the C-suite in international brands, MNC media groups, and global branding/ creative/ communications agencies in Greater China & Asia. Her exposure covers B2C & B2B on financial products, consumer tech, retail & FMCG, travel & hospitality, lifestyle & luxury sectors with a stellar track record of business growth. Her marketing experience stretches from product development, market development, marketing communications, corporate communications, data application, strategic business planning. Her achievement in both mainstream and digital marketing received over 200 awards. She is also an active judge in international marketing awards and a popular speaker in universities.
United States
Evan Jones
Director, Brand Design & Marketing, Meta Financial Technologies, Meta
Evan Jones is a creative director with over 12 years of experience creating award-winning work for some of the world's most recognized brands. He has worked at leading agencies across two continents including DDB, Tribal, Blast Radius, Huge and Elephant.
With one foot in integrated campaign work and the other in platform-based design, he has lead teams to create purposeful brand experiences that people want to be a part of.
Throughout his career, Evan has been recognized by nearly every major creative award show with highlights including Cannes Lions, The One Show and D&AD pencils.
Brazil
Fabiano Sanroma
CEO, Menttoo
Fabiano believes that the experience he has had during 9 years as an art director in two different markets, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia, helped him develop an advertising vision for both retail and corporate marketing, as well as for governmental advertising, which adds to the experience of the team of judges. He is from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he could work for some worldwide known customers such as Globo Television, Petrobras and the EBX Group. At this time, he was the winner of national and international awards for campaigns developed for these clients. In Brasilia, he opened his own business, which provided marketing services for the Ministry of Sports. He also worked as the Director of Creation of the Digital Group, in which he was able to develop pieces for government entities such as Caixa Economica Federal (a federal bank) and the Ministry of Health. In this last account, he developed a campaign called #PartiuTeste, which was released on Tinder to warn its users of the necessity to use condoms. The campaign was publicized both in the New York Times and Reuters and, due to its huge success, he was awarded the national Columnists Award prize. In 2009, Fabiano won gold in Columnists Award Rio & Columnists Award Brazil, bronze in Brazilian Advertising Festival Rio. In 2010, he was the gold award winner for AMPRO Globes Award. In 2015, he won Columnists Award Brasilia and silver in Pororoca Award. He left the work at marketing agencies in 2016 and opened the first social network focused on mentoring for the advertisement market called Menttoo.
Pakistan
Fatima Ansari
Global Senior Copywriter, Publicis One Touch
Fatima Ansari is the Global Senior Copywriter of Publicis One Touch.
As a Senior Global Copywriter for prominent brands such as PepsiCo Snacks and Unilever, Ansari is responsible for crafting compelling and persuasive written content that aligns with the brand's identity and messaging. Her tasks include developing creative copy for various marketing materials, such as advertisements, product packaging, social media campaigns, and website content. In addition, she works closely with cross-functional teams to ensure that the brand's voice and message are effectively communicated to the target audience, ultimately contributing to the brands' success in the global market.
Remarkably, she holds the distinction of being not only the youngest but also the most decorated creative professional in Pakistan, a testament to her exceptional talent and contributions. Her work is characterized by innovative ideas, fresh perspectives, and a commitment to pushing creative boundaries to deliver outstanding results.
Brazil
Felipe Paganoti
Senior Art Director, AlmapBBDO
Felipe Paganoti, art director from Rio with over 10 years of experience. He worked at Mullen Lowe, Artplan, Havas, BBDO Guatemala, VMLY & R and is currently at AmapBBDO in São Paulo.
He plays a pivotal role in shaping the artistic direction and vision of the projects undertaken. His keen eye for design, innovative thinking, and ability to inspire the creative team contribute to the studio's ability to deliver captivating solutions for clients across a wide range of industries. He was vice-president of the Rio de Janeiro Creation Club and won several international awards.
He is committed to pushing the boundaries of creativity, infusing each project with a distinct and captivating visual identity. He has an unceasing love for creative projects and an unwavering desire to embark on inventive and daring endeavors. Paganoti’s enthusiasm for crafting drives him to continuously explore imaginative and unconventional ideas, infusing his artistic pursuits with a spirit of innovation.
Germany
Felix Genzmer
Executive Creative Director Digital , DDB Voltage
Felix Genzmer has been working as a Digital Creative since 1999 in the advertisement industry. Started as an Art Director but discovered his passion for creative concepts, campaign creation and brand lead. He has worked in Germany, South Korea and have work experience in the USA, China and the Netherlands. Felix's recent work in South Korea consists mainly of international campaigns in- and out-bound. His core strength is concept development and campaigns creation for global premium and automotive brands. He is also a recipient of several global awards in the past.
Pakistan
Fizza Shah
Executive Creative Director, Grey Pakistan
Fizza Shah holds the position of Executive Creative Director at Grey Pakistan.
Shah is celebrated for her extraordinary capacity to introduce novel and unconventional concepts, and she has masterminded inventive marketing approaches for numerous distinguished Pakistani brands, such as Tapal, National Foods, Continental Biscuits, and Dalda Foods, to name a few.
She is also known for her tireless work ethic. She personally oversees the creative development for leading brands, ensuring that each project receives her undivided attention and expertise. Her dedication to excellence and hands-on approach have been instrumental in driving the success of these brands.
United States
Gabriel Barrea
Associate Creative Director, Energy BBDO
Gabriel Barrea is a Brazilian Senior Art Director with 10+ years of experience in advertising, currently working at Energy BBDO in Chicago. Before joining Energy BBDO, he worked at Havas Chicago and in some of the largest agencies in Brazil, such as Ogilvy, TBWA, and FCB. Throughout his career, he had the opportunity to work with local and global brands, such as Coca-Cola, Jack Daniels, Nivea, ESPN, Gatorade, and many others. Gabriel’s work has been recognized in some of the industry's most prestigious awards.
United Kingdom
Gary Szabo
Chief Creative Officer, Tag
Starting out in the industry as a Colourist, Gary Szabo has been lucky enough to work on award-winning projects like Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’ videos and Tango's famous 'You've Been Tango’ed' spots of the 90's. It was then that he realized he was involved in something that was having an impact and he has since risen to become CEO of international post and content production company Smoke & Mirrors, which boasts offices in London, Amsterdam, New York, Bangkok, and Shanghai.
United States
Greg Abel
Founder, Tailfin
Greg Abel is the founder of renowned creative services agency, Tailfin.
Abel’s launched his career in advertising at McCann-Erickson and Fitzgerald+Co in Atlanta, before transitioning to the digital space. He joined the digital marketing consultancy, US Web/CKS (later marchFIRST), where he contributed to developing digital strategies and online user experiences for various consumer brands. His role as a founder of a creative service agency has been instrumental in bringing together a team of skilled professionals and driving the agency's creative endeavors. His visionary leadership and entrepreneurial acumen have played a pivotal role in the agency's growth and success.
He has been developing Tailfin into an agency with the capacity to provide a broad spectrum of marketing services, including brand strategy and both traditional and digital marketing capabilities. His expertise spans various areas, such as brand development, communications strategy, creative brand creation, communications execution, advertising, digital media, web design and promotion.
United Kingdom
Greg Wixted
Co Professor in Entrepreneurship, University of North Carolina
Greg Wixted is a globally recognized food tech expert, acclaimed for his achievements in the FMCG and food entrepreneurship domains. He has a proven track record in brand and product innovation, venture architecture, and holds the position of co-professor in entrepreneurship at the University of California.
Wixted more than 25 years of managerial and leadership expertise, he has served as a board director at two of the globe's foremost creative agencies. Trained as an advertising planner, he established Xpert in 2010, a creative innovation agency headquartered in London with three branch offices. Furthermore, he's launched four startup ventures, covering a technology start-up, an artisanal Ketchup brand, a boutique resort label, and a Crypto Insurance company in the United States. In 2018, he introduced Xpert Sports, a sports innovation enterprise in the Middle East.
Given his numerous international awards, he serves as a mentor at the International School for Creative Art.
China
Hao Shan
Creative Director, Founder, Cre+ Design
Hao Shan, the founder of Creplus Design Studio, established the studio in 2009. He currently holds the position of Director in the Department of Visual Communication at the School of Art, Design & Media within East China University of Science and Technology.
With a background in both Eastern and Western design education, extensive experience in design and management roles within leading French international design firms, and a wealth of hands-on involvement in international brand design projects, including L'Oréal, Garnier, Nike, SFR, Dassault, Renault, Citroën, Club Med, Nestlé, PMU, Disney, Bank of Communication, and more, Hao Shan's designs have garnered numerous international accolades.
Shan's reputation in the design art industry is a testament to his dedication and unwavering commitment to excellence. His extensive experience, creative vision, and contributions to international brand design projects have not only earned him recognition but have also left an indelible mark on the field.
United States
Harshit Jain MD
Founder & Global CEO, Doceree, Doceree Inc
Harshit Jain MD, the visionary behind Doceree, the world's pioneering physician-exclusive network of programmatic marketing platforms, is actively committed to reducing global healthcare costs. In just three and a half years since Doceree's inception, Harshit has successfully reached over 18 million healthcare professionals (HCPs) worldwide, expanding operations to more than 20 countries with a team of over 160 professionals. The remarkable achievements include accolades such as NJBiz Great Place to Work 2023, PM360 Trailblazer award in POC category, Digiday Most Innovative Technology Platform 2023, and MMM Best Places to Work 2022 for Doceree. Before launching Doceree, Dr. Jain spent seven years with the renowned global advertising agency McCann, holding diverse roles such as country head, marketing director, and innovation lead across Asia, Europe, and America. Leveraging advertising media effectively, Harshit creatively addressed major health challenges like Immunization, Vitamin D deficiency, and Diabetes using innovative data approaches. In an era where digital adoption was met with skepticism among life sciences marketers and HCPs, Harshit Jain MD courageously reshaped the landscape by blending data science and technological advancements. Over his 15-year career, Jain consistently developed people-centric marketing solutions aimed at elevating patient treatment standards globally, emphasizing social upliftment. A trailblazer in the field, Harshit Jain doesn't view marketing solely through a profit-centric lens. He seeks to encourage social change and upliftment. Using the digital realm, he has paved the way for future pharmaceutical marketers in the global healthcare industry. As an advocate for knowledge-sharing, Harshit Jain explored the point-of-care virtual landscape with his book, 'The Next Marketing – To Healthcare Professionals,' and launched the industry-first talk show, 'The Next Marketing With HJ, Season 1,' inviting experts to decode new-age marketing strategies. Beyond knowledge-sharing, Harshit Jain MD creatively enhances patient education through groundbreaking healthcare campaigns like Immunity Charm, the highly awarded campaign in healthcare advertising history. He orchestrated India's first 24-hour blood donation drive, partnered to create the first bone marrow donor registry in India, published the inaugural textbook on liposuction, and conceptualized the world's first virtual world for the nutrition community – Nutritionists Republic. Many of his initiatives focus on rural and remote areas, addressing the challenge of providing quality patient treatment in those regions.
Germany
Humberto Gregorio
CEO, Linkup GmbH
In his capacity as the visionary Founder and CEO of a prominent design agency specializing in UI/UX design, packaging, corporate design, and branding, Humberto Gregorio possesses an expansive and profound comprehension of a diverse array of design disciplines. Notably, his role as a distinguished lecturer in User Interface Design at the IU – International University of Applied Sciences underscores his unwavering dedication to education. Gregorio's aptitude for providing incisive critiques and constructive feedback, an indispensable skill for a judge, is vividly demonstrated through his teaching endeavors. Distinguished as an "awarded designer," Gregorio's accolades suggest a commendable recognition of his outstanding contributions to the creative industry. This recognition attests to his nuanced understanding of the elements that culminate in excellence within the dynamic realm of design. Furthermore, his active participation in World Clean Day since November 2020, utilizing his design prowess for environmental causes, underscores his profound appreciation for the transformative role that design can play in addressing pressing societal issues.
United States
Imelda Suriato
Founder, Co-Creator and Vice President, I'm Not A Monster and PubMatic, Inc.
Imelda Suriato is the founder of I’m Not A Monster, co-creator and investor of I Had Cancer, the vice president of brand and creative services for PubMatic, creative strategist and a philanthropist.
Suriato has crafted innovative solutions for prominent global brands like Verizon, Coca-Cola, Lexus, Revlon, Max Mara, and Pantone. Committed to driving innovation and uncovering insights, she is devoted to advancing both B2B and B2C brands through user-centric and responsive strategies. Imelda presently spearheads creative operations at PubMatic (Nasdaq: PUBM), overseeing everything from global campaigns to regional activations and branding initiatives across its 18 offices.
She stands as a prominent figure in the industry, consistently raising the bar with her unparalleled knowledge and expertise. Suriato's commitment to pushing boundaries and achieving excellence not only solidifies her position as a leader in the field but also underscores her ongoing impact on the industry's standards.
United States
Ivan D Manolov
Art Director, MojoTech LLC.
Ivan D Manolov helps people solve tough problems and deliver products to market. He keeps himself busy with complex business & design challenges in industries like healthcare, aviation, government, and automotive. His design experience spans from digital products through branding, print, illustration and custom lettering to a few niche design subjects like calligraphy, heraldry, vexillology, and cartography. Currently, he's working as a digital product designer at Mojotech, a consultancy that makes software for big and soon-to-be-big companies. Besides his full-time job, he's trying to help out non-profit organizations and local governments with pro-bono strategy and design work.
Malaysia
Jae Leong
Judging Committee Chairperson, International Awards Associate (IAA)
Jae Leong is the accomplished chairperson of IAA’s extensive judging committee.
As the chairperson, Leong assumes a leadership role, guiding the organization and spearheading initiatives to uphold quality and creative excellence in critical areas such as design, creative advertising, marketing communications, video production, and business. Additionally, she serves as a key award representative at IAA, consistently demonstrating success in overseeing assessments throughout her career.
She prioritizes the coordination of strategic arrangements among various jury panels, establishing herself as a standout figure in the industry. Demonstrating a keen sense of management, Leong has executed her role with precision, ensuring that each participant receives fair evaluations and unbiased assessments, underscoring the significance of integrity in maintaining the credibility of the judging outcomes. Furthermore, her collaboration with professionals globally has positioned her at the forefront of specialization, enabling the development of exceptional communication and relationship management skills.
Latvia
Janis Verzemnieks
Creative Director, Founder, Corebook
Janis started his career back in 2010 when founded a graphic design and music marketing studio. Forbes Magazine recognized Janis in its 30 Under 30 Latvia ranking in 2014. Later he joined pan-Baltic advertising agency HAVAS as a Creative Director and founded Latvian Sound Designers association LSDC in order to develop an audio branding industry.
Now as a Co-founder & Creative Director, Janis is building a startup called Corebook for the global branding industry by reimagining how brand guidelines are built and used. With Corebook product he is serving brand studios and agency networks like McCann, Mackey Saturday, NORD ID, Monday Creative, et.al., and brands like Vauxhall Motors, Monitor Audio, Kaltura, Soundboks, et.al.
United States
Jarvis Grant
Creative Strategist and Imaging Specialist, Jarvis Grant Imaging
Jarvis Grant is a creative strategist, imaging specialist for Jarvis Grant Imaging which he solely manages and he is also a digital media instructor.
With more than 25 years of experience across various domains, including arts education, commercial photography, journalism, digital multimedia, and fine art, Grant has established himself as a recognized industry expert. He excels in crafting comprehensive solutions that integrate his extensive skillset. His professional journey is marked by his adept management of innovative models, consistently exceeding client expectations, expert project management, and collaborative application design sessions.
Grant is a dedicated advocate for ensuring that every team member's perspective is valued and considered during the design phase. He passionately champions the voices of both thought leaders and implementers throughout the entire process. Creates engaging content that harnesses the potential of creating dynamic digital media, ensuring that all stakeholders can derive value from it.
United Kingdom
Jemima Garthwaite
CEO, This Here
Founder and Director of This Here, a data-fueled creative agency and a member of IADAS and Lovies Judge, she is absolutely addicted to the inspiration and knowledge that she gains about the true creative innovators out there through the process of judging. She has also won multiple awards, including: Webby Award Nominee, Young Cannes Lions Winner, Social Buzz Awards Judge, General Assembly Lecturer, Digerati 2013, Shortlisted for Woman of the Future Awards, Drum 30 under 30, The Drum Inaugural Digerati. She was a speaker at Social Media & Internet Weeks, and an ex-International Lacrosse player.
United States
Jenn Szekely
Managing Partner, USA, Coley Porter Bell
Jenn leads Coley Porter Bell’s US business, based in New York and is a member of the Coley Porter Bell Board. She brings over 20 years of B2C and B2B branding and marketing experience across a variety of industries, including retail, technology, hospitality, FMCG, nonprofit, manufacturing and healthcare.
Prior to joining Coley Porter Bell, Jenn was Executive Director, Marketing & New Business for FutureBrand where she led the marketing and new business team in North America. As part of her role, she helped expand the business to the West Coast and worked with clients such as Cisco, Peloton, Honeywell, Tupperware, Hard Rock International, Microsoft and Forever 21.
Previously, Jenn was Senior Vice President at Siegel+Gale, working in both New York and London with clients such as PepsiCo, Target, Carter’s, J.Crew, Choice Hotels, Procter & Gamble, Sony, and Seamless GrubHub. A highlight of her time at Siegel+Gale was working on the branding of Jeff Bezos’ aerospace company, Blue Origin, where she had the opportunity to work with the Bezos family and learn about the amazing world of space travel.
Jenn’s experience spans a variety of strategic and creative initiatives, from brand strategy, brand architecture and naming to creative executions including, visual identity, packaging, digital and trade show experience to hotel and retail interior design.
Jenn has been a judge at the North American Transform Awards and before her career in branding, she ran her own company, which included two retail stores in Boston, Massachusetts, specializing in fashion, art, antiques and design that won numerous awards and received critical acclaim in national newspapers, magazines, books and television.
United States
Jiayuan Wang
Design Director, VSDesign
Jiayuan Wang, a renowned designer specializing in digital media and product design, is based in Seattle. As design director at VSDesign, her diverse portfolio spans healthcare, education, and technology, with key projects at the University of Washington, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and more.
Recognized for her dedication to design excellence and innovation, she has earned over ten prestigious international awards. Her acclaimed work has been widely exhibited, including at the 2024 Kent Summer Art Exhibit, Aquarium - 2024, and the Anacortes Arts Festival, and was featured as the cover design for Issue 27 of "Landscapes in Process" at the University of Pennsylvania.
Jiayuan brings valuable experience from her previous roles as a web UI/UX designer and consultant, specializing in interaction design for cloud-based restaurant management, sustainable e-commerce, and enterprise software. Prior to joining VSDesign, she honed her leadership skills as a lead designer at a startup.
Ecuador
Jimmy Landaburu
Digital Creative Director, Ludikom
Jimmy Landaburu holds the position of Creative Director at Ludikom, engages in Digital Consulting at PRESS NETWORK, and serves as the Founder of Bross Studio.
Throughout his career, he has had the privilege of working with some of Ecuador's leading agencies, including Maruri Grey, Norlop JWT, Lowe, and Y&R. Landaburu’s professional journey also led him to internships at renowned agencies such as Agulla & Baccetti, Y&R in Argentina, and Grey Brasil.
He has been invited by The One Club to serve as a Mentor for the Creative Bootcamp in New York hosted by Wunderman and the Creative Bootcamp in London hosted by Wieden + Kennedy. Furthermore, he has been selected to participate as a judge in some of the most prestigious advertising festivals worldwide. His dedication to the field of advertising is exemplified by his extensive experience, continuous pursuit of creative excellence, and active involvement in judging at prestigious industry events.
China
Jing Liu
Art Director, Moving Station
Jing Liu, based in Beijing, is a multifaceted professional serving as an Art Director, Branding Design Specialist, Design Thinker, Design Researcher, and co-founder of both Moving Station Design Lab and Non Form Branding Design and Strategy.
Liu's educational journey took him from studying Philosophy and Visual Communication Design in mainland China to the Netherlands. Upon returning, he initiated the THEATER Research Team in collaboration with China Northern Jiaotong University and TUB (Technical University of Berlin).
Early in his career, he dedicated several years to researching and applying Information System Architecture theories to the realm of Visual Communication Design. In 2014, he established Moving Station Design Lab and Non Form Branding Design and Strategy, with a primary focus on brand strategy and branding design. Liu's dedication is evident through his extensive educational background, research endeavors, and the establishment of innovative design ventures, showcasing his unwavering commitment to the industry.
United States
Joel Kaplan
Executive Creative Director, MUH-TAY-ZIK / HOF-FER
Joel’s path to Executive Creative Director at MUH-TAY-ZIK / HOF-FER was not all that traditional which gives him a unique perspective on creativity. Before starting in creative advertising, Joel had experience as a receptionist, a cook, a construction worker, an accountant, a teacher, and a sound engineer. But in truth, all of these careers in their own odd ways helped Joel quickly succeed and ascend the ranks in advertising and played a vital role in his approach to advertising, which focuses more on cultural insights and personal interaction than data sets and character counts.
Joel’s entry into advertising began with his role as a copywriter at AKQA and Crispin Porter + Bogusky, followed by a role as senior copywriter at Pereira & O’Dell. From there, Joel was able to show his creative prowess and expertise in various creative director roles at agencies like Eleven, AKQA, and eventually, MUH-TAY-ZIK / HOF-FER.
When Joel Kaplan first joined MUH-TAY-ZIK / HOF-FER as a Creative Director, he helped launch the award-winning Netflix “Spoilers” effort, shape the messaging for Method Soap’s “Fear No Mess” campaign, and develop Audi’s live episodic content series, “Think Faster”. Joel now plays a lead role in the agency as Executive Creative Director & Associate Partner, making innovative connections, platforms, products, and marketing for the agency’s growing roster of brand partners and clients.
United Kingdom
John McPartland
Creative Director - Health, The Leith Agency
John is a Creative Director with a background in Design & Art Direction.
Having worked in healthcare for over a decade, he has seen a huge transformation within the industry and has picked up multiple awards along the way, including D&AD, Lion’s, Clio’s, LIA’s and in 2019 was the winner of Cannes Young Lions UK.
John is passionate about how we move the healthcare industry forward, always looking for the problems that people face everyday and how we can use creativity to solve them. With a special desire to see craft elevated at every opportunity.
United States
Jon Meakin
Lead Consultant, Coldharbour Communications LLC
Jon Meakin, heading Coldharbour Communications LLC, boasts a quarter-century of extensive experience in public relations. His expertise spans across consumer relations, corporate communication, business-to-business engagement, and crisis and issues management.
As the lead consultant at Coldharbour Communications LLC, Meakin spearheads the company's success by providing strategic direction and overseeing client engagements. He cultivates strong client relationships, ensuring that Coldharbour's solutions align with client objectives and Leads a dynamic team to foster a culture of collaboration and innovation. With a focus on industry trends, he offers expert advisory services, positioning Coldharbour at the forefront of the market.
Prior to joining Grayling, he built and executed effective UK and global campaigns in his career, catering to a diverse range of clients such as Associated British Foods plc, Baxters Food Group, The Gleneagles Hotel, ICI, Marriott International, McCain Foods, News International, PepsiCo, Red Bull, Heineken, Shell, Unilever, and Weetabix.
United Arab Emirates
Jon Reil
Creative Director, Liberty Mutual Insurance
Jon Reil is a Creative Director at Liberty Mutual Insurance. He's passionate about creating innovative work, art & creative direction, experience design, and finding clarity in the complex. He'd like to continue to help make the world a better place for people through simplicity and smart design. In addition to agency life, he's led internal marketing and product development teams and consulted with a number of startups in Boston, New York and Los Angeles.
United States
Jonathan Winbush
Motion Graphic Artist, Winbush Immersive
Jonathan Winbush, a distinguished motion graphic artist, directs the creative brilliance of Winbush Immersive, his independently operated studio.
Winbush shapes immersive visual experiences that captivate audiences and brings to life a diverse range of projects that showcase his unique style and storytelling prowess. He has collaborated on numerous prestigious projects for renowned studios including Marvel, DC Comics, Warner Bros, Hasbro, Happy Madison, Discovery Channel, History Channel, and others. In 2011, he earned recognition as one of the top 25 artists in Hollywood and received multiple accolades and awards for his outstanding contributions to the industry.
His artistic contributions have gained acknowledgment in various publications and multiple art institute brochures. He has actively participated in public speaking engagements for institutions such as the Art Institute and Siggraph, while also contributing to The Rant Room Podcast. Jonathan has generously conducted free workshops for orphaned and homeless children through the Create Now Foundation.
United States
Jong Jik Kim
Lighting TD / Senior 3D Designer, Blue Sky Studios - 20th Century Fox
JJ (JongJik) has worked at Dreamworks Animation, Blue Sky Studios (FOX) and various commercial works, and his works have been published in magazines and awarded in various foundations. In 2015, he received various top recognitions for his expertise in 3D Total Creative Magazine, CG Society Editor's Choice and Dope Award 3D. He was also the selected Reel in the Outreach Program Winner for DreamWorks Animation in 2014. His works as an official Dreamworks Animations Presentation have been presented to many universities in the USA. He has professional experiences, but also he has good eyes on details to judges.
United States
Juan Luque
Founder, 3DUS
Juan Luque has worked in the architecture, art and branding industry since 1996, providing services to a broad array of industries including entertainment, hospitality, residential and luxury retail. As a Founding Principal of 3DUS and Graff3D, Juan leads both 3d studios and oversees workflows between clients and production teams.
Guinea
Junjie
Professor of Animation, Savannah College of Art and Design
Junjie "Jake" Zhang is an award-winning independent animation artist, illustrator, and educator living in LA and Hong Kong. He likes to explore and develop different visual styles to express his artistic opinions and stories. Most of his films are dark-humorous, ironic, and fantastic, reflecting social and political issues indirectly.
Jake Zhang holds a BA in Digital Media from China Central Academy of Fine Arts and an MFA in Animation and Digital Arts from the University of Southern California. His films have been awarded and selected in festivals all over the world, including Jury Award in 55th Ann Arbor Film Festival (2017), Storytelling Designation Winner in Adobe Design and Achievement Award (2015), Nomination in 58th CINE Golden Eagle Award (2015), the Best 2D project in The Vision Feast, Distinction Award in Athens Animation Festival (2016), Winner in Animaze Animation Day in Cannes Film Festival (2016), Official selection in KLIK! Amsterdam Animation Festival (2015), Corfu Animation Festival (2015), Cutout Fest International Animation and Digital Art Festival (2015), Animasyros International Animation Festival (2015) and Melbourne International Animation Festival (2014).
Currently, Jake lives in Hong Kong. After serving as Professor of Animation at Savannah College of Art and Design for five years, he is now one of the founding faculties and Assistant Professor of Practice in Digital Arts at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Computational Media and Arts thrust area. His research interest includes storytelling in virtual reality, screen design & world-building strategies, Creator & user experience in process of creating. Besides, he has founded his artist studio Jake Weird Power in Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre since August 2019.
Italy
Jurij Plavnik
CEO and Creative Director, F4F Creative Factory
Jurij Plavnik is the founder, chief executive officer of F4F Creative Factory.
With over 20 years of experience, Plavnik assumes a central role in driving the agency's vision and strategy across branding, graphic design, web design, and advertising. His leadership is not only executive but also deeply involved in directing the creative processes of the agency. With a portfolio boasting international clients such as Castelli Cycling, Lumberjack, Calzedonia, Spalding, and more, Plavnik brings a wealth of experience in delivering innovative solutions and solidifying the agency's standing in the realms of advertising and web design. Under his guidance, the agency has demonstrated its prowess in catering to the diverse needs of global clientele.
Leveraging his expertise, he has collaborated with esteemed brands such as Castelli Cycling, Lumberjack, Calzedonia, Spalding, and many others. His outstanding work has not only garnered recognition from these industry leaders but has also earned him prestigious awards.
United States
Justin Ahrens
Chief Brand Officer, Rule29 Creative
With his extensive experience in the creative industry, Justin possesses a unique blend of talent, vision, and insight that would greatly benefit the judging panel. As the founder of Rule29 Creative and Chief Brand Officer of Marrow, he has consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of design principles, innovation, and effective storytelling. Ahrens' ability to push boundaries while maintaining a strong focus on purpose and impact makes him an ideal candidate to evaluate and recognize outstanding design work. His commitment to social responsibility and his dedication to fostering collaboration within the creative community further solidify his suitability as a judge.
United States
Karoline Gebrael
Founder and Digital Media Consultant, Kamana
Karoline Gebrael is a renowned digital media consultant and the founder of Kamana.
Gebrael is instrumental in guiding enterprises through the intricacies of the digital terrain, providing strategic insights and inventive solutions to amplify their online footprint. Her proficiency involves harnessing state-of-the-art technologies and data-centric approaches to optimize digital processes, fostering business expansion. With a career spanning over 15 years in digital media, she has contributed her expertise to prominent agencies in Brazil, including McCann Erickson, DM9DDB, and Africa. Her clientele encompasses diverse sectors, from finance with Itau Bank to beverages with Guarana Antarctica, and she has notably partnered in the fashion industry, collaborating with Gisele Bundchen for C&A.
Gebrael possesses a creative flair that garners recognition wherever she collaborates, with colleagues placing value on her innovative and out-of-the-box insights, consistently yielding positive outcomes. Her enthusiasm extends to a love for technology and innovation.
United States
Ken Nakagawa
Associate Creative Director | Creative Solutions, International Monetary Fund
Ken Nakagawa is a cr8tivator at the in-house Creative Solutions Division of the International Monetary Fund. He is committed to trend-setting creativity and cutting-edge technology to create multimedia design solutions that solve challenges. With 20+ years of in-house and design agency background and experience with some of the world’s major brands, he is committed to producing and directing thoughtful, high-impact design solutions, built on sophisticated typography, dynamic composition, and human-centered design.
He is currently co-leading the brand and design movement within the 75+-year-old organization and facing the challenges of a multi-national financial institution.
India
Kiran Kumar C K
Senior Visual Designer, NetBramha (Global UI/UX Design Company)
Kiran C K is a dedicated Designer entrusted with the task of addressing challenges and crafting aesthetically pleasing products and services for some of the world's most renowned brands.
In his role as a designer, he formulates concepts and strategies for intricate interactive projects. He is fervent about discovering optimal tools for translating content-driven visuals, visually captivating designs, intricate nuances, and adhering to brand guidelines, all while introducing innovative interfaces across diverse touchpoints.
Furthermore, he actively collaborates with clients, fostering strong partnerships to deliver strategic and emotionally compelling creative solutions that effectively meet business objectives. C K's dedication to his role as a Designer is unwavering, as he consistently strives to tackle complex challenges and produce exceptional design solutions. He approaches each project with a passionate commitment to crafting visually appealing and innovative designs that align with brand guidelines and resonate with audiences across various platforms.
United States
Krista Cojocar
Senior Creative Director, Altair
With over two decades in the industry, Krista has experience on both the agency and corporate sides, serving as a creative and marketer for Altair, WEYV – a music/reading/movie app startup, as well as industries within real estate, retail, automotive, health & beauty, education, and non-profit sectors.
Krista has worked across multiple disciplines as part of creative and communications teams, earning numerous global creative awards. She is a member of AIVA and IADAS, and an active design enthusiast, leading a team of designers and launching campaigns that have garnered over 70 million views.
As Milton Glaser once said, "There are three responses to a piece of design – yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for."
United States
Kushal Birari
Creative, Mother New York
Kushal Birari is a creative at Mother, one of the world’s most respected, independent creative companies.
Having worked in five prominent cities across three continents, he has made a significant impact through his art direction and design. He has left an indelible mark on numerous international brands, including OREO, MINI Cooper, Make in India, FIFA, Bosch, Instagram, and more. His recent noteworthy contribution to the OREO Pride campaign has garnered widespread attention, resonating with diverse communities globally and earning recognition through various national and international accolades. Birari excels in creative direction, advertising, ideas development, art direction, and creative strategy, showcasing a comprehensive skill set in the realm of visual communication and strategic brand development.
His proficiency in his role is evident through the impactful influence he has wielded on major international brands, demonstrating a keen understanding of art direction and design and His ability to resonate with diverse audiences.
United States
Kyle Johnson
Principal/Creative Director, BlkMrkt. Cr8tiv Labs and PLOY Magazine
Kyle Johnson holds the positions of Principal and Creative at B+CR8/BlkMrkt. He is an innovator, brand builder, problem solver, and a collaborator at Cr8tiv Labs.
Johnson assumes a pivotal role in steering the strategic direction and visual identity of client projects. His innovative approach and problem-solving acumen contribute to the development of impactful and distinctive brand solutions. Johnson's leadership ensures a collaborative environment that fosters creativity and results in successful branding initiatives for diverse clients. He is also founding editor, brand manager and strategy director of PLOY Magazine an independent fashion and lifestyle magazine mixing art, fashion and music. Kyle helps clients understand complex ideas, motivates them to action, and cooperates with media outlets to carry out successful strategies.
Leveraging his deep passion for meaningful and high-quality design, he skillfully provides constructive criticism and valuable advice where needed, showcasing his proficiency and effectiveness in his role.
Singapore
Larry Lim
Motion Director, Anchor Agency Pte Ltd
Larry Lim is a Motion Director of Anchor Agency with over 7 years of experience in motion graphics, broadcast, production, branding & social platforms. Prior to the founding of Anchor Agency, Larry has been with Facebook, as well as multiple productions and post-production houses, hence expanding his expertise beyond just motion graphics but also how social media is able to integrate design into our daily lives.
With his strong interest in design & entrepreneurship, he decided to embark on a new journey by starting Anchor Agency to pursue his ambitions to new heights. Being the Motion Director of Anchor Agency, he has worked with established clients such as Meta, Zespri, TikTok, Singapore Tourism Board, Conde Nast - The New Yorker Lab, MSIG, and Benjamin Barker. On top of illustrated animation and motion graphic content that live in both 2D and 3D spaces, Anchor's works can be seen as constantly redefining the animation art form with experimentation on different media, such as digital stickers or augmented reality.
United States
Laurel Stark
Creative Director, The Sims franchise
Laurel Stark is a creative director and change-maker who straddles brand, experience, and product. She has worked for agencies, in-house teams like the Google Brand Studio and Intel's Agency Inside, global architecture firms like Gensler, and one of the biggest DEI firms in advertising (the 3% Movement).
She has won multiple international awards for her work for clients like Google and Avon but also does a ton of work off the clock to make the industry more equitable, representative, and fair. She's the co-founder of The One Club's Next Creative Leaders competition, which shines a light on up-and-coming women and non-binary talent that's changing the work and the world for the better.
For Mental Health Month, She launched Our Silent Partner, a crowd-sourced reflection on mental health aimed at getting creatives to break their silence on their struggles. Her LGBTQ+ work for Google was named a World-Changing Idea by Fast Company and a jury of her peers recently named her a Pitch 100 Superwoman for the work she does to make the industry great.
Portugal
Leandro Peixoto
Chief Design Officer, Polkamarkets
Leandro Peixoto is the chief design officer of Polkamarkets.
Peixoto spearheads and empowers all design functions, ensuring the delivery of seamless and optimal customer experiences within a customer-centric and innovative culture. Prior to this, he played a pivotal role in co-founding Infinit, a Brand & Digital Design atelier. Over the past two decades, he has led multi-disciplinary teams, aiding brands in the successful launch of B2C and B2B products and services. His accomplishments include multiple design awards and features in various industry publications.
He is an outstanding individual in his field, demonstrating exceptional leadership and inspiring teams with a strong emphasis on design excellence. He showcases a visionary approach, guiding and enabling all design functions to create seamless and customer-centric experiences. His remarkable achievements, including multiple design awards and features in industry publications, firmly establish Peixoto as an exceptional professional in the design realm.
Germany
Leonardo Zakour
Co-Founder and CEO, Refokus
Leonardo Zakour is an Argentine Product Designer currently living in Hamburg, Germany. After getting his degree in Graphic Design, he worked as a freelance branding and interaction designer with various international brands and agencies. In 2009 he founded BONS, a digital agency working with startups and forward-thinking companies to build amazing digital products.
For the past eight years, Zakour has been building new products of his own and helping entrepreneurs build successful startups. He is a full-stack Product Designer, capable of taking concepts and ideas all the way to high-quality finished products.
He is passionate about UI/UX and technology. If not at his desk, you can find him in conferences and meetups around the world. He is highly focused on quality and innovation, always searching for new and exciting products that solve real problems and give great value to the user.
United States
Leslie Walsh
Creative Director / Founder, Gifted Creative Group LLC
Leslie Walsh is a 2005 magma cum laude graduate in Illustration from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Leslie has over 11 years of experience in Illustration, design, advertising, branding, and hand-lettering. She has worked an art director in small and worldwide agencies, as a freelancer, and in the creative group she founded 4 years ago. She has had several national ad campaign concepts come to fruition, and has been invited to speak with students at her alma mater (multiple times, on stage and in the classroom). Leslie was a portfolio reviewer at SCAD (in Admissions, and for scholarships), and she work with my interns to help them find their voices refine their styles. Leslie mentors and teaches, and provides creative direction and guidance to her interns (18 total). She has always enjoyed being involved in extracurricular activities and has held leadership positions, as well as founding and organizing groups and mobilizing volunteers throughout her life. Leslie has curated gallery shows for herself and groups of artists, produced fashion shows, and collaborated in a multitude of projects including fashion styling and painting, in her free time. Leslie is also a representative for illozoo.com, a visual communication agency with 150 creatives worldwide, founded by illustrator (and her former professor), Mohamed Danawi. Leslie loves all things creative and is excited about the opportunity to review the work of talented individuals and determine what stands out from the crowd.
Hungary
Levente Kovacs
Chief Creative Officer, White Rabbit Budapest
Levente Kovacs co-founded his Hungary-based indie agency 14 years ago after stints at HKB Bozell and JWT Budapest.
Throughout his professional journey, he has secured numerous groundbreaking achievements for the Hungarian industry, notably being the first to have a Hungarian work featured on the cover of Luerzer's Archive. He also clinched Hungary's inaugural Platina Effie for long-term effectiveness. Presently, White Rabbit Budapest stands as Hungary's most decorated and internationally renowned creative agency.
He is a strategic mind and adept problem solver, crafting impactful brand narratives for clients like Heineken, Shell, KitKat, Vodafone, and WWF. His achievements have been acknowledged across various prestigious platforms. Advocating for purpose-driven approaches in branding and business, he actively promotes elevated creative standards and mentors aspiring talents. As a guest lecturer at Budapest Business University, he manages the Advertising Chronicles blog, translating marketing and advertising literature into Hungarian.
Portugal
Liliana Farinha
COO, WYcreative
In the realm of digital marketing, Liliana Farinha stands as the Chief Operating Officer at WYcreative, backed by a decade of experience.
As the Chief Operating Officer, Farinha's responsibilities encompass overseeing social media and web advertising initiatives, as well as managing complex website projects from specifications to implementation, among other communication assignments. Her portfolio features clients including NOVO BANCO, REN, Minipreço, Pestana Group, FOX International Channels, The Navigator Company, Casa da Música, Honda, MSD, Zippy, NOWO, BFA, LACS, L'Oréal, Sogrape Vinhos, Bayer, and more.
Her role is characterized by an unparalleled commitment to the digital sphere, a deep-seated passion for project management, and a unique talent for orchestrating teams. This combination of dedication and her innate ability to guide projects and lead teams stands as a powerful force behind the organization's achievements. Her determination is a driving ethos that fuels her quest for excellence.
United States
Lucas Ribeiro
Associate Creative Director, McCANN New York
Lucas Ribeiro is a Brazilian copywriter currently working as an Associate Creative Director. He has over 15 years of experience in advertising agencies and has worked for big clients, such as Budweiser, Stella Artois, Brahma Beer, Nissan, Peugeot, Citroen, Harley-Davidson, Kia, ESPN, Puma, among others.
Argentina
Lucho González
General Creative Director, Avión de Papel
Lucho is a Publicist, Bachelor in Comunication, postgraduate in Marketing and strategy. With 15 years of experience in the advertising industry both in Chile and Argentina, he is the founder and Creative Director of Avión de Papel and a member of the Board of Directors of ACAP (Association of Advertising Agencies of Córdoba).
Lucho has also been a member of the jury in national and international prestigious advertising festivals: New York Festivals Advertising Awards, The Lisbon International Advertising Festival, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, Premios CLAP, FePI Festival, Premios Jerry Goldenberg, Premios Obrar – Consejo Publicitario Argentino, Lápiz de Oro y Lápiz de Platino.
As Creative Director of Avión de Papel, Lucho has lead his independent agency to win awards, such as “Agency of the year” by Infonegocios twice and Top iberoamericano FICE once, and also numerous awards in advertising festivals: New York Festivals Bowery Awards, WINA (World Independent Advertising Awards), FICE (Iberoamerican Festival of Creativity and Strategy), CLAP (Internationals Awards of Design) EIKON (Awards for Excellence in Institutional Communication) FEPI (International Festival of Independent Advertising).
He has conceived iconic campaigns that have been exposed multiple times in media, even during COVID-19 in a specific gallery that highlights the creativity of the industry during this context, the “Creative Gallery” at Advertising Week JAPAC at New York.
United States
Manas Paradkar
Associate Creative Director, The BAM Connection
Manas Paradkar is an Associate Creative Director and copywriter at The BAM Connection. Originally from Mumbai, India, he came to New York via Boston, where he earned a master’s degree in advertising from Boston University.
Over his 7 years at BAM, he has written for brands such as First Response pregnancy tests, Bausch + Lomb, Redemption Rye whiskey, Yellow Tail wine, Birds Eye, and many more. His work has been recognized by the Clios, the Addys, The Tellys, and Graphis. Notably, his campaign for Pennsylvania’s first medical marijuana dispensary was featured in AdWeek’s top 5 cannabis campaigns of 2019.
In addition to working with CPG brands, he is passionate about creating work that impacts critical cultural issues. For the past 3 years, he has partnered with NORML, a nonprofit in the cannabis space, to advocate for the release of those unjustly incarcerated for petty cannabis use.
Outside of advertising, Manas loves to travel, try new recipes, and write about politics.
Netherlands
Marcel Vrieswijk
Co-founder / Managing Director, PlusOne
Marcel Vrieswijk, is one of the founders and Managing Director at PlusOne, an independent production studio hailing from Amsterdam. It’s his aspiration to create memorable work with emotional impact. Hell-bent on the details that champion the difference between something good, and something great. Since opening the company's doors in 2009, they've grown into an award-winning company with an international in-house team of creative specialists looking forward to exceeding their client’s expectations.
Greece
Maria Afroditi Patsi
Founder, AdvAge Advertising and NFT Cube Agency
Maria Afroditi Patsi is the founder of AdvAge and NFT Cube Agency based in Athens.
She possesses an entrepreneurial spirit and leads innovative campaigns that blend the artistic and technical realms. She currently excels as an Augmented Reality Engineer at Meta while pursuing her PhD in Computational Science and Engineering at MIT. With a multifaceted skill set, she balances roles across disciplines: a designer shaping visual narratives, a developer crafting code in the twilight hours, a poet weaving words at dusk, and a marketer strategizing brand engagements by daylight.
Her creations have received international recognition, showcased in renowned design museums and art galleries around the world. Her influence extends beyond exhibitions, as her distinctive style and artistic vision have set new benchmarks for innovation and aesthetics in the art community. Her contributions to the field have elevated her status as an artist and shaped contemporary design discourse.
United States
Mark Bloom
Founder/Creative Director, A Willing Participant, Inc.
Mark Bloom leads as the founder and creative director of A Willing Participant Inc., an agency renowned for its diverse talent and capacity for juggling multiple creative projects, situated in the heart of Chicago.
Bloom brings over two and a half decades of experience as a creative expert, with a keen understanding of what drives a successful campaign and the acumen to execute it. His award-winning career spans high-budget commercials to straightforward single-camera testimonials, and his work in direct marketing has honed his ability to enhance client engagement through emails. His versatile writing has touched various sectors, from financial services to healthcare philanthropy.
His crowning achievement lies in venturing independently to establish his agency, a challenging feat in the current climate of ever-increasing competition. Despite the odds, he has thrived, spearheading a successful and expanding firm, backed by clients who have great confidence in their work.
United States
Mark Minelli
President, Minelli, Inc.
Mark is an experienced professional with a singular sense of design. In his 30+ years running his brand strategy and design firm and managing a team of talented designers, he has maintained a keen sense of what the industry is doing and possesses an ability to discern truly stellar work. He is now president and CEO of Minelli, Inc., and has devoted his career to building strong and powerful brands for clients striving to make the world a better place. The brand consultancy and design firm has developed successful brand strategy, design and communication projects for Fortune 100 companies, popular destinations, 4th-sector businesses, higher education institutions, international NGOs and leading museums. A frequent speaker on branding, Mark has shared his expertise with audiences across the nation, including the World Brand Congress, the American Association of Museums and the American Marketing Association.
Canada
Marshall Lorenzo
Creative Director, Tawdry
Originally from Auckland, New Zealand, Marshall is an Art Director with ten years experience in digital design, branding and art direction, currently based in Toronto, Canada. He studied Communications at Auckland University of Technology, and have been working in the web industry for five years. He has worked on a wide range of projects with clients such as Target, Jetstar, Holden, Tourism New Zealand, History Channel, CBC, CTV, IFC, Steinlager and Visa. He is also a writer, and enjoy watching hours of "bad" television, Celine Dion's insane stage choreography and people jogging down hills too fast. He was the Webby Awards 2014 Television Honoree, Canadian Screen Awards 2014 Cross Platform Project Non Fiction, Silver award winner for Atomic Awards 2014 in Digital Engagement.
Malaysia
Martin Ng
Creative Director, Magna Digital
Martin Ng is currently working with Magna Digital as Creative Director. Over the years, he has been part of different international agencies, such as BBDO (Associate Creative Director) and OgilvyOne (Creative Group Head), producing digital solutions for clients including McDonald's, Carlsberg, AIA, Petronas, etc. He has a proven record developing digital products and marketing campaigns for the world's most recognized brands. He is also a leader in concept and strategy development for complex interactive initiatives.
Japan
Masanori Eto
Director, Coordinator and Package Designer, ADBRAIN Inc.
Masanori Eto is the director, coordinator and package designer of ADBRAIN Inc.
With over 25 years in package design, he has ascended to the role of Creative Director for the Packaging Division at ADBRAIN, where he has contributed to both Japanese and international brands in Japan. Eto served on the board of the Japan Package Design Association (JPDA) until July 2022, where he was instrumental in public relations, leveraging design for regional development, and fostering international exchanges in the field of package design.
He has imparted his knowledge of package design and branding at various art schools and colleges across Japan—including Tokyo, Sapporo, Sendai, and Kobe—and in China, within cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, as well as in Taichung during the Asia Students Package Design Competition events. His upcoming endeavor involves educating web design students in branding and planning at Japan Electronics College.
Romania
Matei Curtasu
Creative Director, Serenade Studios
Matei Curtasu has had the experience judging for SXSW Innovative, New York Festivals, WebAwards, as well as being an Advisory Board member of SXSW. He has also worked in ad agencies around the world, and recently opened his own shop in Bucharest.
United States
Matt McCain
Co-Founder, Little Hands of Stone
Matt McCain has been a leader in the Seattle creative community for 25+ years. Before co-founding independent creative agency Little Hands of Stone in 2019, he led the WA State Department of Health and Amazon accounts at WongDoody Seattle. Matt’s work has been recognized internationally by Cannes, One Show, Communication Arts and Clios. He has two semi-grown kids, lives in the semi-sticks, and frequently disappears to fly fish.
United States
Matthew Fitz-Henry
Founder and CEO, Genome
Matthew Fitz-Henry is the founder and chief executive officer of Genome, an experiential digital innovation agency.
Before establishing Genome, Fitz-Henry served as the EVP/GM of HYFN, a digital agency startup that experienced remarkable growth. In his capacity at HYFN, he held responsibility for overseeing various aspects of the business with esteemed clients such as Google, Microsoft and more!
Before joining HYFN, he was the Digital Head at Disney Music Group. He had the responsibility for managing the digital business operations and content agreements for Hollywood Records, Lyric Street Records, and Walt Disney Records. These labels represented a roster of renowned artists such as The Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Rascal Flatts and Selena Gomez. During his time at Disney, Matt also co-produced "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat: Disney Jazz, Vol 1," a compilation of Disney classics reinterpreted by jazz artists, including Grammy award-winning talents like Esperanza Spalding, Gil Goldstein and more!
Taiwan
Mel Hsieh
Experimental Filmmaker and Visual Artist, AniMel Studio
Mel Hsieh is an experimental filmmaker and visual artist.
He is an alumnus of London's Central Saint Martins, class of '09, with a BA in Graphic Design, and New York's School of Visual Arts, class of '15, with an MFA in Computer Art. His films have garnered a host of international accolades and have been featured at prestigious events such as LA Frieze Art, Scope Art Miami, Asia Now Paris Art Fair, Red Dot, D&AD, Athens Digital Arts Festival, Taipei Contemporary Art Centre, Brooklyn Film Festival, and the NY Video Art & Experimental Film Festival, among others. In his work, he delves into the interplay between art and animation, investigating their roles and theories within contemporary art practice.
His relentless drive to innovate has established him as a vanguard in the intersection of art and technology, consistently pushing the boundaries of computer animation in contemporary art.
United States
Michael Tiedemann
Principal, Brand Marketing Director, M! Brand Consulting
Michael Tiedemann is a senior level creative executive with a rich history serving brand name clients. Fluent in all media, Michael believes that only deep customer insights can spark great creative. Michael helps his clients win by leading teams in "big idea" generation, creative strategy, customer insights, brand positioning and social media activations. He understands how to judge not just the creative expression of the idea---but perhaps more importantly - the strategic value of the work in solving the business problem at hand. This involves looking at the work in question and backing out the customer insight and matching it to a relevant brand message. "If you can't do that then I think you're looking at art, not advertising."
Poland
Michał Dunin
CEO & Managing Director, WebTalk
Michał Dunin is an expert in digital marketing, social media and integrated marketing, with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He is the founder of the WebTalk agency, one of the largest independent digital marketing agencies in Poland, that works on the CEE market. He was the winner of a prestigious business award in the "Marketing Executive of the Year" category. He is also a speaker at many industry conferences, as well as being a judge of the Business Awards, and a lecturer at the University of Warsaw. Besides that, he is also a Co-founder of several start-ups, including two watch brands, Błonie and Chopin Watches.
Poland
Michał Kaleta
Managing Director, endorfina events
Michał Kaleta has been associated with the industry for several years. Since 2016, he has been managing one of the largest event marketing agencies in Poland, repeatedly awarded in competitions for the event agency of the year, both locally and internationally. Besides working for the largest Polish and foreign brands, he has also completed projects in several European countries. According to Michał, events are a key element of the brand experience strategy and one of the most effective and innovative parts of marketing communications. He was also a member of the jury of the Effie Poland Awards, Innovation and Kreatura competitions, and a speaker at, among others, Business Without Limits Congress and Eventex Creative Week.
United States
Mike McKay
Executive Creative Director, Eleven
Mike is an experienced judge and has been on the jury for D&AD, The Effies, The One Show, The Digiday Awards and The Mashies social media awards.
Mike McKay is the CCO at Eleven Inc., with over 20 years of experience in the advertising industry. His diverse portfolio includes work on brands such as Apple, Google, Netflix, Sony PlayStation, Comcast, HP, Budweiser, Häagen-Dazs, Oakley, Toyota, and Nissan.
Prior to Eleven, Mike was an ECD at Saatchi and Saatchi Los Angeles, BBDO and was also a creative director at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners. Not only has Mike won numerous Cannes Lions, One Show pencils, and D&AD Awards, his global campaign for HP— “The Computer Is Personal Again”—was named U.S. Campaign of the Year by Advertising Age and became a Harvard Business School case study. His Toyota “Swagger Wagon” video was named one of YouTube's Top 20 Advertisements of All Time.
His work has also been featured at TED, The Museum of Modern Art, Time Magazine top spots of the year, The USA Today’s Ad Meter top ten commercials of the Superbowl, and his Comcast “Rabbit” spot was named “The most awarded spot of the year” by Creativity.
Previous Positions Held: Executive Creative Director – BBDO Executive Creative Director – Saatchi & Saatchi Creative Director - Goodby, Silverstein & Partners Associate Creative Director – TBWA Chiat/Day
United States
Miles McWilliam
Brand and Marketing Director, Freelance
Over the course of his career in creative, marketing and production, Miles has worked with a huge range of brands across B2C and B2B; from luxury homeware to globally renowned FMCG labels, culture-driving sportswear and automotive to become lifestyle icons.
His hybrid experience on leading creative and production agencies, while working directly for brands on strategic principles and communications has given him razor sharp understanding of the industry, as well as respect for the process and manner in which great ideas and content come to life.
United States
Min Lu
Marketing Manager, Meta
Min Lu, an artist based in New York and recognized with awards, has spent her life crafting a diverse array of artworks, from graphic design to painting and sketching.
Lu's graphic design is fueled by conceptual thinking, drawing from her dreams and feelings to shape a personal visual narrative through the use of line, color, and structure. She has spearheaded effective campaigns for global entities like NBC Universal, Goldman Sachs, Comcast, Charter Communications, Cox, and Discovery Financial Services.
Her creations have been showcased in locations like the United States, China, and Italy etc and was heavily featured in numerous social and traditional media outlets. She aims to invigorate, challenge, and contribute to the industry that helps brands engage with their audience creatively while expanding their business. Her expertise encompasses creative strategy, media and marketing execution, campaign planning, and achieving Key Performance Indicators.
United States
Mohamed DiaaEldin Osman
Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy NY
Mohamed DiaaEldin Osman is an Egyptian/Dutch creative that has been lucky enough to get deeper understanding of how true creativity surpasses any language and culture. He first started at JWT Cairo, Egypt in 2006, all the way to Wieden+ Kennedy Amsterdam and now Ogilvy NY. His proudest piece was for Nike Women Middle East "What Will They Say About you?" - not because it won a lot but because for a short but significant moment - it blew up Arab Twitter and started a conversation. A conversation that was picked up by CNN, Reuters and NPR to name a few.
Denmark
Muggie Ramadani
Creative Director, Partner, Bold Scandinavia
Muggie Ramadani is synonymous with Scandinavian design. His portfolio speaks for itself and is a personal testament to over 25 years of design dedication to simplicity and functionality.
In November 2014, he founded the Danish office of Bold Scandinavia located in the heart of Copenhagen. The agency is a part The North Alliance together with the most profiled agencies in Scandinavia.
Bold Scandinavia is a strategic design agency with offices in Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo and work with Scandinavia's largest and most recognized brands such as SAS, IKEA, Danske Bank, CODAN, Telenor and Arla Foods. Today, only five years after Bold was created, the agency has grown to 60 employees.
Prior to joining Bold Scandinavia, Muggie Ramadani was hired as Creative Director to start up the Danish office of Scandinavian Design Group together with McCann Worldgroup - one of the largest design agencies in Scandinavia.
His international experience is more than extensive - creating identities all over the world in all kind of cultures for brands that really move people. His focus is to create pure expressions and always inspire. He also strongly believes that design craftsmanship is the most important parameter to differentiate and move brands forward.
United States
Muhammad Moinuddin
Sr. Business Intelligence & Data Analytics Manager, RCG Global Services
Muhammad Moinuddin is a Business Intelligence and Data Analytics Manager at RCG Global Services, where he drives comprehensive market research initiatives for the healthcare practice and intelligent automation solutions. He crafts impactful reports for internal and external stakeholders, distilling complex data analyses into actionable insights that fuel strategic decision-making and program development. Muhammad also conducts meticulous competitor analyses, identifying strategic advantages and areas for improvement. He completed his master's degree in Business Data and Marketing Analytics at the Illinois Institute of Technology, where he enhanced his data engineering and business intelligence capabilities. Previously, he served as a Business Data Analyst and SAP Executive at K-Electric, applying his analytical and technical skills to support business optimization and customer retention. With over 7 years of experience in various domains including financial consulting, healthcare, IT, and airline, Muhammad has delivered insights, recommendations, and solutions using Python, R, SQL, Tableau, AWS, Google Analytics, and Machine Learning. He is passionate about finding opportunities and challenges in data and solving them with creativity and innovation.
United States
Natasha Mozz
Creative Director, Natasha Mozz
Natasha Mozz is an experienced graphic designer, creative director, with 20+ years of professional experience in branding and marketing. Among her clients are brands and agencies such as Droga5, BBDO, Adidas, PayPal, Under Armour, Lincoln Center, Facebook, Bayer, NYU Langone, Grayling, Nissan, Sequoia Capital, Buck, Royal Canin, Nissan, Ideas On Purpose, SpotCo, Method Studios, Sidewalk Labs, Vichy, Salt, Oscar Health, and Opendoor. Also, for a few years, she was teaching Typography and Concept Development at the British Higher School of Art & Design and she has a well-developed skillset for evaluating good design.
India
Nidheesh Kavalan
Chief of User Interface Design, Nimo Planet
Nidheesh Kavalan is a strong creative person to solve the problems. Teams call him the perfectionist. He took the challenge to design an entirely new platform (Smart Glasses). As a leader, his quality reflects in simplifying the design, visual appearance, perfect color, and typography selection. But, most importantly, helping his team to grow. He comes up with ideas at light speed and creates quick prototypes to validate them, which is super important when designing a new platform. He enjoys solving problems and making beautiful products. His design quality and simplicity is appreciated by global companies including Apple.
Serbia
Nikolina Popovic
Lecturer,
Nikolina Popovic is a lecturer at Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) in Milan.
Popovic was a seasoned creative director with over 15 years of experience, specializing in the development of comprehensive marketing campaigns, re-branding initiatives, and design strategies for corporate identities. She is also skilled in storytelling and effective team management. Her expertise is complemented by her exceptional ability to collaborate across cultures and deliver compelling presentations, honed through her academic teaching background. Throughout her career, she has cultivated her professional journey within renowned networks such as Ogilvy, Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett, Grey, and Havas, gaining exposure to diverse cultures and perspectives. She possesses expertise in various aspects of creative direction, encompassing concept creation, team leadership, art direction, brand development, identity design, creative problem-solving, digital media, and strategic creative planning.
Her unwavering commitment to her profession is evident in her continuous pursuit of excellence and dedication to delivering outstanding results.
Pakistan
Omar Qureshi
Creative Director, SadaPay
Omar Qureshi serves as the creative director for SadaPay.
Qureshi is a seasoned Marketing Communications (MarCom) professional, boasting over six years of both project-based and full-time experience in branding, content strategy and creation, as well as product marketing. He possesses a proven track record in research and project management, fueled by a deep-seated passion for assisting individuals in job searches, producing outstanding reports and presentations, offering creative advice to small and medium-sized enterprises, and developing innovative business solutions through design thinking.
Qureshi's role as Creative Director at SadaPay is marked by an unwavering commitment to innovation and a tireless pursuit of creative excellence. His drive is fueled by a desire to redefine the financial landscape through groundbreaking design and user experience. His dedication to his craft is evident in the meticulous attention to detail and the fresh perspective he brings to each project.
Chile
Pancho Gonzalez
Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Inbrax
Pancho Gonzalez is the co-founder and chief creative officer of Inbrax.
González, who studied advertising at the Universidad de Santiago in Chile and earned an MBA from the Berlin School at Steinbeis University in Germany, plays a significant role in shaping the creative industry. As the Chief Creative Officer at Inbrax Chile, a Board Member and Vice President at IAB Chile, and a member of the Marketing Circle at Icare, his influence extends across multiple facets of advertising and marketing. Additionally, his past experience as a board member of Achap (Chilean Advertising Association) underscores his comprehensive involvement and leadership in the field.
González has delivered speeches in various countries including Costa Rica, Brazil, Argentina, Russia, Mexico, Germany, Sri Lanka, Guatemala, the United States, Japan, South Korea, the Czech Republic, Peru, and Chile. His global presence as a speaker demonstrates his commitment to sharing knowledge and insights in the field of advertising and marketing.
Italy
Patrizia Burra
Professional Photographer, Patrizia Burra Photography
Patrizia Burra is a renowned photographer that specializes in portraits and digital manipulation.
Over the course of her career, Burra has earned numerous international awards and honorable mentions. Her work has been featured in prestigious publications, and she has showcased her photography in both Italy and overseas. She holds the title of MQEP (Master Qualified European Photographer). This recognition is a testament to her exceptional talent and artistic vision.
Her work captures the beauty of the world around us, from the grandeur of nature to the intimate moments of everyday life. Her limited edition prints are highly sought after, as they are a one-of-a-kind piece of art that will last a lifetime. Her photography is a celebration of life, capturing the beauty of the world in a way that is both timeless and modern. Her limited edition prints are a perfect way to bring her art into your home.
China
Peng Wang
Founder&Director, Beijing Pengtu Culture and Art Communication Co., Ltd.
Born in Beijing in 1973, Wang Peng graduated from the dyeing and weaving major of Beijing Arts and Crafts School and the decoration design major of Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University. In 1998, as the art design director of the National Engineering Research Center for Optical Discs of Tsinghua University, Wang Peng successfully developed the multimedia program "The Story of the Great Wall", realized the application of China's first 3D real-time browsing technology in multimedia programs, and won the 1999 National electronic publication's highest award - "National Book Award".rnrnThe two projects "Five thousand Years of Chinese Science and Technology" and "Temple of Heaven" designed for the Research Center of Multimedia Education Software of Tsinghua University won the award for Excellent Multimedia CD Evaluation in Chinese region of the PRIX MOBIUG INTERNATIONAL DES MULTIMEDIAS. In the same year, Wang Peng was appointed as the project leader of the "Brilliant Fifty Years -- Beijing" project team, and also served as the planner and the overall designer of the art. This project is approved by the Press and Publication Administration and the Beijing Municipal Government for the 50th anniversary of the national key publishing project, this project finally won the first National Electronic Publications Award.rnOn July 13, 2001, as a candidate city for the Olympic Games, Beijing made a 45-minute presentation in Moscow, of which the multimedia presentation needed to be completed by the design team accounted for 30 minutes. Wang Peng and his team successfully completed the task of designing and producing the multimedia presentation report, and won the commendation of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Bid Committee.rnrnIn 2005, Wang Peng was hired as the Multimedia Art Director of the Olympic Art and Design Center of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, mainly responsible for the multimedia design and application of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, and the multimedia display design of the color system of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. He used smart colors to build the cultural background and spiritual bearing of the Chinese nation, adding color to the magnificent Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.rnrnWith meticulous design language and unique design style, Wang Peng and his team have successively served the State Grid, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Southern Airlines, China Minmetals, Sinopec, UTC United Technology Company, SAMSUNG and other fortune 500 enterprises, designing corporate social responsibility reports for each enterprise. His professional report design work has been highly recognized by the international jury, and has won the ARC International Annual Report Award, the MUSE Creative Award, the IDA International Design Award, the IAI International Advertising Award and other international awards.rn
Germany
Philipp Nottelmann
Creative Director, Feral Brands
I'm a versatile creative professional specializing in visual storytelling with 15+ years of global experience in advertising and branding. My expertise lies in crafting captivating solutions by merging conceptual depth, human emotions, and visual delight. I'm deeply invested in both classic and AI photography and film, always on the lookout for the next big thing.
Poland
Przemysław Puchalski
Creative Director, WebTalk
Przemysław has been working in the PR and advertising industries for nearly 15 years, including 8 years at WebTalk, where he oversees and manages the creative team, developing projects in areas such as UX & UI, AR, 3D, frontend and many others. He has also been a judge for Innovation-related awards worldwide, and at the same time, is an author of many viral creations (a.o for Disney, Disney+, Panasonic or Triumph for 30+ markets).
United States
Quynh Mai
Founder and CEO, Moving Image & Content
Quynh Mai, Founder of Moving Image & Content, has a unique, strategic understanding of creating digital storytelling for the modern age – and how they can be organically interwoven with new technology and brand identities.
She’s been at the forefront of the merger of digital and traditional fashion and beauty advertising, working with the world’s top directors, artists, models, and celebrities in both business and creative fields. As senior vice-president of luxury agency Lipman, she helmed accounts like Burberry, David Yurman, BCBG, Diane von Furstenberg. Prior, she was an executive producer for Annie Leibovitz and an agent at Art Partner.
Having merged her traditional branding experience with the new media world of digital, she founded MI&C in 2010 bringing digital strategy and marketing to H&M, Express, Sephora, Aldo, Fendi, COTY, Bed Bath & Beyond and Ultra Music, amongst others. She has proudly led the company through 2 award-winning projects to date.
Quynh is an excellent judge because of her ability to see and apply digital as a crucial aspect of a holistic marketing program. Along with MI&C, she thinks about digital in a way that is distinctive from other digital agencies in that they truly believe every piece of content they create for different platforms or channels (OOH, social media, etc.) should be unique from each other, but should be synchronized to tell a cohesive story about the brand mean to foster personal relationships with consumers,
Quynh's work showcases her incomparable understanding of digital as she’s propelled clients into new frontiers (first facial mapping lens with Snapchat for H&M and first-ever global live stream for Kanye West). She understands that the goal for brands and their marketing programs is to ultimately become people-centric and audience-specific across all channels as part of larger-scale strategies to solve business problems and demonstrate how marketing across digital can drive ROI.
In addition, Quynh has experience judging (Effies) and understands how to apply criteria in a fair and unbiased manner to ensure that the best works of creativity are properly recognized.
United Kingdom
Ray Del Savio
Creative Director, VCCP NY
Del Savio’s illustrious career features many highlights, including winning a rare and coveted Titanium Cannes Lion for Prudential’s ‘Challenge Lab’. Along the way, there have been many big and small stops, from classic shops like BBDO and DDB to small boutiques like TAXI. The most recent stop was a nine-year stint at Droga5, starting as a Copywriter and rising to Executive Creative Director. Del Savio has handled some of the biggest brands in the US, such as Prudential, New Museum and Google and has countless creative awards to his name.
As the Executive Creative Director at VCCP NY, Del Savio looks after creative and design sectors for clients such as Whiteclaw, Soulcycle and T-Mobile Magenta. Most recently, Del Savio principally challenged the VCCP challenger attitude with his creative work for SoulCycle with the‘F#ck it, let’s ride’ campaign and his ‘Bring the Wave’ campaign for Whiteclaw.
United States
Renato Barreto
Integrated Associate Creative Director, MullenLowe
Renato Barreto holds the role of an integrated associate creative director at MullenLowe, bringing with him more than 15 years of expertise in the field of advertising.
In his capacity as an integrated associate creative director at MullenLowe, Renato Barreto leverages his extensive background in the advertising domain. Prior to joining MullenLowe, he accumulated a wealth of experience through positions at prominent agencies like DDB Brazil, Ogilvy & Mather, Talent/Marcel, and Dentsu, demonstrating a diverse and well-rounded career in the industry. In 2015, his contributions played a pivotal role in propelling Ogilvy Brazil to the status of one of the most highly recognized agencies in the industry.
Throughout his career, he has collaborated with a diverse portfolio of renowned brands, including UNICEF, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Kimberly Clark, Itaú Bank (the largest bank in Latin America), Nestlé, Toshiba, and numerous other notable names.
United States
Roberto Alcazar
EVP, Managing Partner and Executive Creative Director, 305 Worldwide
With over 20 years of experience in the advertising and media industry, Roberto is a creative leader who drives impact and innovation for global brands across markets and cultures. He is the EVP and Executive Creative Director at 305 Worldwide, the full service advertising agency of Horizon Media, the largest independent media agency in the world. Roberto has directed award-winning campaigns for clients such as P&G, DIAGEO, General Motors, The Home Depot, HBO, Verizon, and The Ad Council, among others. He is also a film producer and the co-founder of Contexto Group, an IP acquisition agency that develops literary content and scripts into films and series. Roberto is passionate about storytelling, diversity, and social responsibility, and uses his creative vision and expertise to inspire and empower his team and his clients.
Canada
Romaicia Naser
Founder & Creative Director, Monarch Collective
As a passionate creative driven by a love for visual arts, Romaicia Naser naturally embraced an 'out-of-the-box' approach to marketing, design, and branding. The opportunity to channel this freethinking, inventive mindset alongside a refined and ever-evolving skill set has been instrumental in her journey as an Entrepreneur, Creative Director, and Brand Developer. Taking bold steps beyond her comfort zone has earned her recognition on a larger scale, including being a recipient of the respected international award programs for Excellent Communications Design, Integrated Campaigns and Advertising category.
With over 15 years of experience in the design industry, Naser has built a reputation for leading multi-platform marketing and branding initiatives across digital aesthetics and their broader applications for both new and established businesses. She excels in fostering unity in art and design, streamlining concepts, and assembling dynamic creative teams. her relentless commitment to advancing compelling ideas has propelled Monarch Collective into new markets on a global scale.
United States
Roman Vynogradnyi
UI/UX and Brand designer, ADDFORCE
Roman Vynogradnyi is an award-winning designer with 12 years of experience in Branding, Advertising, and UI/UX Design. He has had the pleasure of working for such world-known companies such as Philips, Cisco, Samsung, LG, Volkswagen, Nescafe, L'Oreal etc. He has won several prestigious international awards, including MUSE Creative Awards, American Graphic and Web Design Awards, The Very Best Of Ukrainian Design, A'design Award. He started his career at one of the biggest agencies in Ukraine - DIALLA, and later worked at several prestigious advertising agencies (D.Babych Design Studio, 360 Branding, AV Group) and grow up to Art direction position. After that, he worked in San Francisco where he got international experience working on innovative projects including setting up online experiences for both web and mobile as well as establishing brand identities. Currently Roman is living in Ukraine, and successfully working with international clients, as well as his personal projects.
Singapore
Ronn Lee
Creative Partner, BEAMY
Ronn Lee is a versatile brand and design expert with two decades of experience in the field, spearheading projects in concept development, branding, graphic design, interactive media, and product innovation across various sectors.
As the co-founder and creative lead of BEAMY, a creative and branding agency with its main office in Shanghai and additional locations in Singapore and New York, she has showcased remarkable initiative. Her journey took her from Singapore to Shanghai, where she was inspired by the growing demand for creative and branding services in China, leading to the establishment of BEAMY. Before her time in Shanghai, Ronn served as an Art Director in Tokyo. Her professional path through Singapore, Japan, and China has provided her with a deep understanding of diverse work cultures and design approaches.
Ronn's contributions to the field have been recognized with over 100 international awards for design and creativity.
United States
Samantha Dolin
Executive Creative Director, Klick Health
As an industry leader, Samantha Dolin comes to Klick Health most recently from Ogilvy Health, where she was Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of North America. Sam leads her team with a boundless passion, committed to effective, innovative, and purpose-led work. With a reputation for being a builder of remarkable teams, she consistently inspires her crew to go beyond and find the unexpected. Sam believes that deep insights and a strong strategic foundation are vital success factors to all creative endeavors because the power of communication and inspiration is the power to change people’s lives for the better.
Sam started her career creating meaningful experiences for brands like Nike, Intel, Hewlett Packard, and Adidas. As she moved into the health and wellness space, she fell in love with making compelling creative executions that can transform the people it touches. Her extensive pharmaceutical marketing background spans patient, professional, and the broader health and wellness and DTC arenas. Sam’s work has been launched in the U.S. and worldwide for first-in-class and blockbuster brands in countless categories spanning CNS, cardiovascular, infectious disease, diabetes, oncology, respiratory, vaccines, and more.
United Kingdom
Samantha Fay
SVP Global Brand Strategy, Guinness World Records
Samantha Fay oversees the global brand strategy, new product development, and strategic partnerships at Guinness World Records, in addition to leading the innovation division, The Records Lab.
She collaborates with leading agencies and global brands to elevate well-known brands to unprecedented, record-setting levels through innovative campaigns. Among her cherished experiences are awarding Michael Jackson his certificates, encountering the Queen, and joining Michelle Obama on the White House lawn.
Fay’s commitment to her field is exemplified by her active participation in high-profile industry events around the globe, showcasing her dedication to sharing knowledge and insights. Her involvement in speaking engagements at renowned forums like Cannes Lions and the China International Advertising Festival highlights her passion for influencing and shaping the future of marketing and strategy. Through these platforms, she not only contributes to the discourse but also stays at the forefront of industry trends, underlining her unwavering dedication to professional growth and industry advancement.
United Arab Emirates
Shadi Al Hroub
Founder and CEO, MENAMONSTERS
In the realm of branding and creative leadership, Shadi Al Hroub has emerged as an award-winning creative director and industry luminary with over 17 years of expertise, including a notable 9-year immersion in branding research.
With a diverse background encompassing creative direction, packaging design, and multimedia, this visionary has established collaborations with renowned global brands and organizations. His impressive portfolio features partnerships with industry giants such as Leo Burnett, Hilton Worldwide, Jordan Aviation, Jordan Duty-Free, Hublot Watches as well as esteemed NGOs like UNRWA, the International Trade Center (UN), Global Health Development, and USAID.
He has actively supported the industry's growth as a discerning judge for prestigious awards programs where he evaluated entries from industry leaders like DHL, Nivea, Pepsi, and Coca-Cola. As a respected professor at prestigious American universities, he shares valuable knowledge and experience with the next generation of professionals.
United States
Shahen Markarian
Head of Design, SugaringNYC
Shahen Markarian is a seasoned product designer with over six years of experience in the digital product design industry. Throughout his career, he has worked with a diverse range of clients all over the world, including big companies such as Prepply and MantraDao, led the design team in Shanghai, created digital products that greatly contributed to the growth of the company. Currently serving as a team lead within the design department of a Florida-based company, Shahen has consistently demonstrated his expertise in leading teams to create highly innovative and usable digital products. He also contributes greatly as a judge at the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts. Known for his ability to create enjoyable and user-centered designs, Shahen takes great pride in delivering visually appealing solutions that address the specific needs of his clients. He thrives on the challenge of crafting designs that strike a balance between aesthetics and functionality, resulting in highly usable and impactful digital products. With a commitment to staying current with industry trends and emerging design practices, Shahen continuously seeks opportunities for growth and learning. His dedication to producing innovative and user-centric designs has established him as a respected professional in the field. In summary, Shahen Markarian is a dedicated and results-driven product designer with a proven track record of creating highly usable and innovative digital products. His passion for design, coupled with his ability to understand and address client needs, sets him apart as a valuable asset in the industry.
United States
Shangning Wang
Design Project Specialist at UNDP, United Nations Children's Fund
Shangning Wang is a New York-based award-winning graphic designer, illustrator, and all-around creative. He focuses on commercial art, typography, illustration, branding, and poster art.
In the past few years, he also received more than twenty global awards for his work. His works were exhibited in many cities around the world. His design works have been published in many design magazines and featured on more than thirty graphic design blogs. His work has currently been featured by the Adobe InDesign 2020 as the Splash Screen.
Wang's passion for design is unwavering, driving him to continuously push creative boundaries and explore new artistic horizons. His dedication to the craft is evident in the more than twenty global awards he has earned, showcasing his commitment to excellence. With a firm belief that good design has the power to make a positive impact on the world, he infuses his work with boundless enthusiasm, dreams, and love.
India
Shashwat Das
Founder and Director, Almond Branding
Shashwat Das, the founder and director of Almond Branding.
With a solid background in Marketing and over a decade of experience in leading Design agencies, he has developed the ability to impartially evaluate subjective design and creativity. His expertise lies in discerning what not only appears aesthetically pleasing but also effectively resonates with consumers, target audiences, and the market. His journey in assisting companies in launching new brands, revitalizing existing ones, defining market categories, and achieving business expansion has honed his skills in Brand Creation, Positioning, Brand Architecture, and Strategic Design Consultancy.
He possesses a strong foundation in creative advertising, design, PR, and a keen eye for impactful branded content. He remains up-to-date with the latest industry trends through diligent reading of blogs, journals, and active participation in relevant events. He possesses the capability to assess not only traditional forms such as print, film, and photography but also newer media and social media campaigns.
United States
Sinan Dagli
Executive Creative Director, Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners
Sinan is the Executive Creative Director/Partner at Sausalito-based, full-service agency, Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners (BSSP). Hailing from Istanbul, Turkey, Sinan has worked with the world’s top brands and athletes producing culturally relevant work that has been lauded by industry awards time and again.
Throughout his career, Sinan has written poems for LeBron James with 2Chainz, Rapsody and Jurreau, welcomed the next generation with Anthony Davis and Zion, trash-talked with Kevin Garnett and Michael Rapaport for NBA2K, rapped with CHIKA for ESPN, defied Labels and stereotypes with Serena Williams, Abby Wambach and Harvey Keitel for MINI Cooper on Super Bowl 50, delivered 1.4MM meals in partnership with Feeding America and launched MINI's Rio Olympics campaign with Team USA, gotten into a swordfight with Aaron Eckhart, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Fan Bing Bing for Evony on Super Bowl 51, helped Ryan Lochte make a clean start for PowerBar. He's called all drivers for Uber, negotiated deals with William Shatner for Priceline, and executed Columbia Sportswear's biggest digital campaign for its Omni-Heat technology release.
Sinan's work has been recognized at The One Show, Art Director's Club, The Clios, Communication Arts, Effies, Graphis, Addys, 4A's, and AAF. Most recently, Sinan has been chosen as one of Adweek's Top 100 Creatives and by MediaCat (Turkey's AdAge) as one of the top 50 creatives. Additionally, Sinan has served on the juries for the Clios Sports Awards and the Effies North America.
United States
Soham Chatterjee
Global Associate Creative Director, WhatsApp - Creative X at Facebook
Soham was born in Calcutta, raised in Bombay, India. He is an alumnus of Miami Ad School, where he was declared as the most awarded advertising student in the world with over 120 national and international awards including multiple Golds at major shows.
Soham has worked in India, Miami, NYC and currently is a Global Creative at WhatsApp - Creative X at Facebook. He also works with Human Rights Foundation as a Creative Director. Soham has picked up plenty of metals at Cannes Lions, Cannes Lions Health, The One Show, Cannes Lions, Cannes Lions Health, D&AD, ADC Young Guns, ADC, The Andys, LIA, Facebook Global Awards, Epica Awards, etc. His work has been featured in top publications across the world and was even a part of the Tate Curated Exhibition He has served as a jury at The One Show, One Show Young Ones, Cannes Young Lions, ADC, Webby Awards, AdStars, Creativity International and the New York Festivals.
He has been a guest faculty/speaker and instructor at Miami Ad School, Miami, NYC, Mumbai, Portfolio Center, Atlanta, and currently teaches at Miami Ad School San Francisco. He often speaks at advertising conferences and educational institutions.
Soham has been named as one of the 30 under 30 most creative people in advertising by Business Insider. Twice!
United States
Stephen Brett
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, 500 Designs and Design Force
With more than 20 years of experience, Stephen has made a name as the go-to guy for digital strategy and online business development. As the co-founder of the award-winning design agency 500 Designs and sister company, Design Force, he has led strategy and design projects for Google, Cisco, 3M, Tik-Tok, HubSpot, Fresh Del Monte, KBS, Cantor Fitzgerald, and over 150 start-ups. Specializing as a business designer, he has innovated new business models interweaved with a sticky user experience to create compelling applications enjoyed by millions of people worldwide.
He led 500 Designs to be one of the fastest growing companies in the United States, ranking 426th on the Inc. 5000 list overall and 33rd in the Advertising & Marketing category.
Throughout his career, he has acquired a broad knowledge of business strategy and is vastly experienced in leading teams to success. As CEO of 500 Designs, he leads a 120+ person team across strategy, design, engineering, operations, sales, and marketing.
Canada
Steve Savic
EVP, Executive Creative Director, Critical Mass
As the EVP, Executive Creative Director for digital experience design agency Critical Mass, Steve Savic has been creating breakthrough experiences that span the entire digital spectrum for over 20 years.
His expertise in branding, motion design, and creative use of technology allows him to turn a single idea into a cutting-edge digital experience that puts people right in the action -- transforming the way consumers interact with brands and creating deep and meaningful connections in the process. Throughout his career, he has been called on to create these immersive brand experiences and integrated campaigns for notable brands such as Dell, Apple, Rolex, Nike, AT&T, and Nissan, which have earned him dozens of industry awards. His work in the digital space has received accolades from programs.
Savic’s results-focused tactics put technology into the hands of consumers and create the interactive moment - the “sweet spot” - between the customer and client.
United Kingdom
Stuart Wood
Co-Founder, Missouri Creative
Stuart founded Missouri Creative in 2013 with his creative partner Paul Brennan. Stuart spearheads the strategic and creative teams with a focus on identity and communication. He has experience across categories and continents and has worked with brands as diverse as Adidas, Footlocker, and Asics to Marriott, PepsiCo, TUI, and Estée Lauder.
Over the past 7 years, Stuart has worked with many global drinks companies; Pernod Ricard, Beam Suntory, Carlsberg Group, this includes working on brands catering to audience from UHNWI to Premium, to youthful urbanites. Highlights include winning a Design Week Gold, winning The Drum Design Agency of the Year.
United States
Takae Takahashi
SVP Associate Creative Director, Havas Health and You
Takae Takahashi, a Japanese Creative Art Director with Brazilian roots from Sao Paulo, currently operates out of New York City.
She brings more than ten years of experience in the creative field to the table, having earned multiple accolades. Takahashi's expertise lies in seamlessly merging creativity with strategic vision, crafting campaigns that garner critical acclaim within the industry.
Among her distinguished achievements, she has secured a victory at the inaugural Innovation Health Hackathon at the Cannes Lions Festival and contributed to her past agency’s recognition as “Best Healthcare Agency in Latin America”! Takahashi's unwavering commitment to creative excellence is evident in her collection of prestigious industry accolades. Her dedication to pushing boundaries in the creative realm has not only earned her a respected reputation but also significantly advanced the agencies she's worked with. Her relentless pursuit of innovation in the healthcare sector particularly underscores her passion for leveraging creativity to drive meaningful impact.
United States
Tarun Gupta
Senior Brand Manager, Reckitt
With 12 years of diverse experience in Ecommerce, Marketing, and Consulting, Tarun Gupta is a seasoned professional who leads the strategic direction and execution for a $150 million business at Reckitt, one of the world's leading consumer health and hygiene companies. He is passionate about delivering innovative solutions and campaigns that enhance the brand value and consumer loyalty of Finish, a global leader in dishwashing products.
Hong Kong SAR
Thomas J Elliott
Executive Producer and Creative Director, Casual Films (HK)
Thomas J Elliot serves as the Executive Producer and Creative Director at Casual, a leading video content production studio based in Hong Kong. Specializing in creating captivating brand and corporate videos, Casual caters to enterprise-level businesses globally.
With a two-decade track record, they complete over 1000 projects annually for Fortune 500 companies and have earned 200+ awards. His content is known for boosting share prices, enhancing brand engagement, and driving significant business outcomes for some of the world's most influential brands. He holds a firm belief in the universal power of creative ideas to transcend cultures, markets, and technologies. He is driven by the pursuit of uncovering the human element in every idea.
This fervor has propelled Elliot on a worldwide creative expedition for the past twenty years, striving as a creative leader in various markets and across all forms of commercial visual content storytelling.
Poland
Tom Koszyk
CEO/Founder, Hologram
Tom Koszyk is a multidisciplinary designer, focused on digital products and has ten years of experience. During that time, he had the pleasure of working with startups, software houses and interactive/advertising agencies from around the world. His designs were featured in many opinion-forming media sources including Gizmodo, Engadget, Creative Bloq, Behance and Abduzeedo. He's also a member of the Jury of KTR Design Contest, the biggest polish competition for creatives held by Polish Advertisers Association. Tom has been working as a Head of Digital Design at Mullen Lowe Warsaw, part of the prestigious agency network Mullen Lowe with their headquarters in Boston, USA. He also teaches UX/UI design at Envato and had served as a guest lecturer at the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology in Warsaw. Tom is also a co-author of Affinity Designer Workbook published by Serif. Now he's the founder and creative lead of Hologram, one of the most appreciated Polish digital design studios.
United States
Toygar Bazarkaya
Global CCO, Optimist
Being the Chief Creative Officer of We Are Unlimited, Toygar’s experience in advertising spanned for over a decade, where his ingenuity won him 31 Lions for 15 brands in 12 different categories running brands like Visa, Gillette, Campbell’s, HP and Major League Baseball.
His previous works in BBDO and CCO allowed him to become a member of the Cannes jury in 2015 and is one of the members of the Digital 40 over 40 list in Campaign in 2018. He believes in the power of collaboration of all disciplines in the services of great ideas and the endless possibilities from the integration of media and data.
India
Vidya Sharma
Director & Partner, Rocketscience Lab
Vidya Sharma is a directing team of music videos, commercials and films. With an uncanny eye for detail and pretty straightforward concepts, their videos cleverly plays off their obsession ideas and technology. The duo joined forces in 2010 and formed ROCKETSCIECNELAB to create colorful creative work, mixing live action, stop frame and animation for commercials, virals, music videos n anything creative. RocketscienceLab is a director driven mixed-media production company. Since its launch, RocketscienceLab has become recognised for its combined interests in ideas and technology to present unique creative pieces of work. Founded in 2010 by Directors Vidya Sharma & Rajesh Thomas as a mixed media production company with an experimental flair, its built up an outstanding portfolio and a reputation to go with it. The lab's works has been picked up by Fastcodesign, BBC Music video festival, London International Animation Festival, East End London Film Festival, Holland animation film festival and has been showcased in international magazines and websites like Stash, IDN, Computer arts (D&AD article), Promonews, bloodyloud, Desktop, File, HugoBoss, The creators project and many more. Today, RocketscienceLab is one of the most innovative production companies, consistently producing beautifully crafted intelligent work while maintaining a distinctive style working across the traditional and emerging mediums. With an emphasis to producing original content, the lab designs moving image works that include Commercials, MV's, Shorts & Idents. We surround ourselves with talented artists, who create exceptional work in collaboration with our passionate team, to produce hyperreal visuals.
United States
Vitaliy Yakin
CEO, Creative Art Director and Motion Graphic Designer, Vitaliy Yakin
Vitaliy Yakin has amassed nearly 15 years of experience in computer graphics and motion design.
Throughout his career, he has contributed to numerous international projects and has been featured as a speaker at various global events. In addition to his hands-on work, Yakin possesses teaching experience and has often served as an expert for diploma defenses and certifications at an art college. His client portfolio includes prominent names such as Apple, Microsoft, Logitech, SAMSUNG, various automobile brands, and IT corporations. He also brings extensive experience from working in television, music shows, and the film industry.
Yakin's career in computer graphics and motion design is a vivid reflection of his immense dedication and passion. His tireless commitment to the craft is evident not only in his professional pursuits with leading companies like Apple and Microsoft but also in his eagerness to mentor upcoming talent in the industry.
United States
Xiaobi Pan
Lead Designer, Amazon
Xiaobi (Iris) Pan is a globally-recognized pioneer in the field of Emerging Technology Design. She has been the inventor of the sound interactive Installation visited by over 1 million participants, the app that promises to plant 100 million trees on our planet by 2025, and a series of industry-leading new technology products and experiences. Currently a Lead Designer at Amazon, she is dedicated to using technologies such as Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence to revolutionize the consumer experience for both business and social good.
United States
Yenny Zhang
Senior Designer, Nike Inc.
Yenny Zhang, a dynamic retail designer, is gaining recognition for her efforts in shaping immersive experiences that defy convention. Yenny Zhang brings a unique approach to her role. She not only designs seasonal retail spaces for Nike but also crafts compelling brand designs for clients and music videos for artists. With an academic foundation in Environmental Design from the prestigious ArtCenter College of Design, Yenny's distinctive skill set integrates creativity, spatial expertise, and a playful, experimental spirit. Her philosophy revolves around infusing playfulness into every audience, creating retail spaces that transcend mere transactions and evolve into captivating narratives.
United States
Yeon Sang Yoon
Creative, Snap Inc.
Yeon Yoon is a Los Angeles-based creative, art director, and designer, currently working at Amazon as an Art Director, overseeing various global campaigns and marketing initiatives. Yeon began his career as an Art Director at Elephant, a rapidly growing digital agency that served clients such as Apple, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, and Comcast. He then moved to Los Angeles to work for Grey West where he collaborated with Amazon, AWS, and Hasbro. Later, he joined Snap Inc., focusing on integrating Augmented Reality into branding and marketing efforts. During his time at the School of Visual Arts in New York, Yeon was one of the most decorated students, winning numerous awards. He was also the second winner in the school's history to win Cannes Future Lions. Recently, he has been nominated to serve as a jury member for Vega Digital Awards, LIT Commercial Awards and a few other prestigious names as well.
China
Zhonghao Wu
University Professor, Zaozhuang University (ZZU)
Zhonghao Wu derives great pleasure from the realm of domestic black and white graphics and the psychological impact associated with pioneering independent creative expression through diode colors. His prowess in this field has earned him a distinguished reputation and recognition through various prestigious awards.
Wu's dedication to his craft is reflected in his relentless pursuit of innovative creative expressions, especially in the domain of diode colors, where he continuously pushes the boundaries of artistic possibilities. His extensive knowledge and expertise in the industry are evident through his consistent success in receiving recognition and awards for his work, establishing himself as a prominent figure in the field.
As a university lecturer, Wu imparts his wealth of experience and insights to aspiring designers, actively guiding and mentoring students in their creative journeys. His commitment to teaching goes beyond the classroom, as he encourages and supports students to participate in design competitions.
China
Zhou Wen Jun
Founder and Design Director, 524 STUDIO ® / NGISED.DESIGN ® / Zhou Wen Jun ® Design
Zhou Wen Jun is a renowned designer and an esteemed global awards adjudicator with over two decades of professional expertise in the realms of architecture, creativity, and design. He firmly upholds a design philosophy encapsulated by the mantra: "Everything is Design, Design for Everything! Better Design equals Better Life, Better Quality & Better Business."
Jun plays a pivotal role in shaping the creative direction and vision of his endeavors. His extensive experience spanning over 20 years in the architecture, creative, and design industry positions him as a guiding force in driving innovative and impactful design solutions. He instills a sense of purpose and excellence into every aspect of his work, ultimately contributing to better quality, enhanced lifestyles, and prosperous businesses.
Jun’s remarkable contributions to the field have garnered numerous prestigious international awards and accolades, showcasing his exceptional talent and dedication. His distinguished achievements include, but are not limited to, the following: