Australia will have an expanded presence at Cannes Lions 2026, with 14 senior industry leaders selected as awarding jurors this year, up from nine in 2025.
Spanning creative, strategy, design, effectiveness, production, PR and sustainability, the appointments reflect the depth of Australian talent and the continued global recognition of the local industry.
Tony Hale, CEO, Advertising Council Australia, said: “To see 14 Australians selected to judge at Cannes Lions is a strong endorsement of the talent, leadership and creative standards coming out of this market.
“It’s a clear reflection of Australia’s exceptional performance at Cannes in 2025. We’ve long earned a reputation for producing influential ideas and world-class people, and it’s fantastic to see that recognised again through this year’s jury appointments.”
Australia’s 2026 Cannes Lions Jurors
- Audio & Radio: Simon Langley, Chief Creative Officer, Bastion
- Brand Experience & Activation: Amy Weston, Executive Creative Director, Clemenger BBDO
- Creative Brand: Rose Herceg, President AUNZ, WPP
- Creative Business Transformation: Clare Pickens, CEO, Leo
- Creative Effectiveness: Brent Smart, Chief Marketing Officer, Telstra
- Design: Ben Miles, Chief Design Officer APAC, R/GA
- Digital Craft: Tim Devine, Global Chief Invention Officer, AKQA
- Entertainment: Jason Williams, Chief Creative Officer & Head of Creative Excellence APAC & MEA, Publicis Groupe
- Film: Micah Walker, Founder / Chief Creative Officer, Bear Meets Eagle On Fire
- Jury Chair, Film Craft: Pip Smart, Partner & Executive Producer, Revolver
- Health & Wellness: Amanda Fuller, Managing Partner, Omnicom Health
- Pharma: Ryan Wallman, Executive Creative Director, Wellmark
- PR: Simone Gupta, Co-Founder, Supermassive
- Sustainable Development Goals: Rob Galluzzo, CEO, FINCH
The full global jury lineup can be found here.
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity will take place from 22–26 June 2026 in Cannes, France, bringing together global leaders across advertising, marketing, media, technology and business.
Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, said: “The impact of the Cannes Lions Jury can’t be underestimated. Their time and expertise in recognising groundbreaking work sets the global creative benchmark for the year ahead and provides a view of the future shape of creativity.
“Each year, our Juries are carefully selected to uphold this standard, and this year is no exception. Welcoming new expert voices across a breadth of markets and disciplines, we are delighted to bring together some of the industry’s most well-respected leaders to define the creative standards driving our industry forward and celebrate the transformative power of creativity to create change, shape society, and build business.”
The full line-up for the Creative Brand, Dan Wieden, Titanium and Luxury Juries is yet to be announced.
Pass options for Cannes Lions 2026 can be found at www.canneslions.com.