Ben Schwartz
Vice President – Client Services, BPG UAE | BPG Group
Ben is an advertising professional with 15+ years of experience in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. He’s worked at big network agencies (BBDO, TBWA, Ogilvy) helping international brands (Ford, Nestle, Lenovo, Pepsi, L’Oreal, etc.) tell their story.
Owner of two masters, Ben was brought up and lived in several different countries. As a result, he adapts easily to any environment and quickly finds new ways to add value. A people person with strong EQ skills, Ben has a track record of bringing the best out of a team.
Not afraid of rolling up his sleeves, Ben’s eagerness to support often leads him to wear more than one hat. You may have seen his work for Nissan on the award-winning #SheDrives campaign for instance, a time when he was both leading the account management team and acting as social media director.
Recently a judge at MMA Smarties, WARC Global, PHNX Awards and Al Athar Festival KSA, Ben has collaborated to over 70 global, regional and local awards – including 8 Grand Prix.
Susana Gema
Manager of communication and social intervention projects | Sarape Social
PhD in Communication through the Interuniversity Program of the Universities of Seville, Málaga, Huelva, and Cádiz, with an international distinction following a six-month research stay at Panamerican University (Guadalajara campus, Mexico). She also holds a Master’s degree in Secondary and High School Education with a specialization in Spanish Language and Literature (EIP), a specialized course in Digital Marketing (ESIC), and a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism (University of Seville).
She has worked in corporate communications and marketing, as well as in communications and digital strategy agencies both independently and as a collaborator, while simultaneously completing her doctoral studies. She has overseen the communications and branding of CESPYD (Research and Community Action Center at the University of Seville), as well as other projects such as Yiló and Justifay.
Currently, she is a member of the Communication Studies Lab (LADECOM), collaborates in the editorial management of Ámbitos. International Journal of Communication, and is part of the ComPoder research group. Her research focuses on alternative media, media structure, communication systems, and the magazine El Salto. She completed an international teaching residency at Panamerican University, where she taught as a professor-in-training, and earned her PhD in May 2022 under a joint supervision agreement with international distinction.
She is currently a lecturer at Tecnológico de Monterrey, teaching communication and digital marketing, and a master’s thesis advisor at the International University of La Rioja (UNIR) in sales, commercial management, and digital marketing. Additionally, she works as a project manager at Sarape Social.
Warsha J. Dhemani
Senior Art Director | Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, UAE
Warsha is a Senior Art Director, currently working at Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness. Whether she’s breaking myths around breast cancer, making vaccines cool, or empowering patients to take charge of their health, Warsha brings heart and soul into everything she touches.
Her creative playground includes big-name brands like Pfizer, where she’s led innovative, feel-good projects that blend healthcare with storytelling. With previous experience across FMCG giants like Nestlé (Nido, Nescafé, Maggi), collaborations with the Louvre, campaigns for e&, and initiatives with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Warsha brings unmatched versatility to her work.
With a knack for blending strategy with bold creativity, she’s all about delivering campaigns that spark conversations and inspire action. And when she’s not busy being a creative powerhouse, you’ll find her chronicling her obsession with the brand Off-White with her best friend and dreaming up the next big idea to make people think and live healthier.
Teresa Makori
Creative Director | Ogilvy, Kenya
Follow your intuition. Find the truth. Create good work. Make an impact.
For the six years that I have spent in advertising, these have been the pillars that guided me along the way into creating impactful, award winning campaigns for clients such as Godrej, ICEA LION, Safaricom, P&G, Coke, Philips, Diageo, Mondelez, among a few.
So who am I? I am an award-winning insight-obsessed Associate Creative Director currently working at Isobar – Dentsu Kenya, a global full-service data and idea led digital agency.
I believe that deeply understanding your consumer’s truth is the key to unraveling how to truly connect with them. This will always be part of my arsenal for crafting powerful brand stories and applying this aided me in creating campaigns that resulted in my being listed in the Next Creative Leaders 2021 by The One Club for Creativity and The 3% Movement – a first for an East African woman.
I’m always in awe of the impact we can make in this industry. We can form and inform culture and inspire action in millions. I believe we should all hold that power responsibly, always be true to ourselves and make work that will leave some good in the world.
Because our work is our legacy.
Sirikorn Rungrueangdechaphat
Associate Creative Director | Grey, Thailand
Sirikorn is a creative professional based in Bangkok Thailand.
She loves writing and thinking, and is lucky enough to do both for a living. Ever since graduating, she’s been working in advertising, a field she’s always admired and enjoyed. She believes creative commercials are more than just tools to hit media KPIs; they’re opportunities to do something good, connect with the mass audience, and make a real impact.
She has been recognized in creative award competitions for “Sad Kama-Chan – Bar B Q Plaza” (2025), “FWD Singing Bus – FWD Insurance” (2024), and “Bok Choy – Thai Health Promotion” (2020).
Cristina Roa Concha
Executive Creative Director | VML, Colombia
Cristina Roa is an industrial designer and Executive Creative Director at VML Colombia, with over 20 years of experience creating impactful brand experiences across Latin America. She has led award-winning work for brands like Coca-Cola, Diageo, Audi, and Nestlé, and has worked at top agencies including DDB, MullenLowe, Geometry, and VMLY&R Commerce.
Specialized in BTL and brand activations, Cristina blends strategic thinking with emotional storytelling to create memorable, results-driven campaigns. She’s been recognized nationally and internationally for her creativity and leadership.
As a Big Sister in VML’s Lideras program and ambassador of the Cannes Can Diversity Collective, Cristina is committed to empowering women in the creative industry. For her, creativity is not just a craft, it’s a tool for transformation.
Jasmine Papillon Smith
Associate Creative Director | Tank, Canada
Jasmine Papillon-Smith is an award-winning Associate Creative Director with a decade’s work in journalism and advertising across Canada and the UK. She believes the best ideas hack existing systems to benefit both people and brands, without compromise. Just last year, she helped develop Fire Bloom, a beer made from the ingredients of wildfires to help fight back against them, generating major buzz for a tiny brewery and planting over 200,000 trees in the process.
Néstor Leal Utrera
CMO – Marketing & Communications Manager | Accenture, Chile
Lp Gatti
Executive Creative Director | White Rabbit, Hungary
Lp Gatti led the launch of an In-Game & Sportainment hub in 2024, targeting the South American and European markets, in partnership with White Rabbit and Squarepixel.
He began his career in Rio de Janeiro as an Art Director and has worked at major advertising agencies around the world. His professional journey has taken him to São Paulo, Dubai, Berlin, and Stuttgart, before settling in Budapest, where he collaborated with local, regional, and global clients.
For the past ten years, Luis Paulo Gatti has also been a teacher and coordinator at Miami Ad School Brazil / LATAM.
He served as a judge member in the main award shows around the world, including DandAD, New York Festivals, Cannes Lions Young Competition, Web Awards, Lovie Awards, El Ojo, Eurobest and more than 20 other festivals along his career.
Gabriel Sotero
Executive Creative Director | VML, Brazil
I started my career over 21 years ago as a Creative Copywriter, but it didn’t take long before I ventured far beyond the boundaries of writing. Over the years, I’ve worked across digital, branded content, design, and craft—always driven by a deep curiosity and a passion for storytelling in all forms.
Throughout my journey, I’ve worked on global accounts and led creative work for brands like Apple, Nissan, Gatorade, Ford, Coca-Cola, Fanta, Schweppes, and Nestlé. I’ve also had the honor of seeing my ideas recognized by some of the most prestigious creative festivals, including Cannes Lions, Effie, D&AD, The One Show, and Clio.
Marco Cremona
CCO | Ogilvy, Hong Kong
William Reed
Executive Creative Director | Hey Honey, Netherlands
Chanatthapol Tiensri
Executive Creative Director | TBWA, Thailand
“ My name is Chanatthapol Tiensri and my nick name is ‘PED’ ( in Thai Ped means duck). I worked in advertising agency for 23 years but I still enjoy and happy with creative works.”
Torsten Pollmann
Executive Creative Director | Havas, Germany
To is Executive Creative Director at Havas Germany, leading integrated campaigns and social-first content across clients like Citroën, Renault, Toyota, Lidl, Deutsche Bank, Nokia, Canal+ and Toys“R”Us.
With a background in journalism (WDR, RTL) and degrees in Philosophy, German Literature, and Political Science, Torsten honed his craft at agencies including Grey, BBDO, Euro RSCG, and Saatchi & Saatchi.
A member of the Art Directors Club Germany since 2010, he has been recognized with 150+ awards at major creative festivals around the world.
He lives in Düsseldorf with his wife and daughter.
Marius Tianu
Regional Creative Director | Dentsu, Romania
I’ve just attached the photo now. Hope it does the trick!
It’s a bit of a time capsule — me, back in kindergarten, proudly embodying the beauty standards of the era (yes, the bowl cut was intentional ).
And because I have no shame left:
This is me, holding hands with my first serious relationship
She was all style, no heartbeat. But somehow, we made it work.
Bonus cameo: a polar bear in the background, quietly judging my outfit choices.
Or, if you prefer the trailer version:
1980s fashion icon. Power couple. Taxidermy enthusiast.
All before the age of 6.
Camilo Garzon
General Creative Director | Start5, Panama
Hello, I’m Camilo. I have been working in advertising since 2013. My experience spans across various categories and markets with high-profile networks such as DDB, Grey, Ogilvy, Sancho BBDO, Leo Burnett, and Mullen Lowe Mena in the Middle East (freelance), Monks México and currently Star5 Panamá.
My work has garnered recognition at prestigious festivals including Cannes Lions, Young Lions Colombia, One Show, Andy Awards, LIA, Effies, The Drums, Clio, Ojo de Iberoamérica, El Sol Festival, El Dorado Festival and Luerzer Archive. As a General Creative Director/Copywriter, I specialize in developing cutting-edge concepts uniquely suited to diverse brands. I thrive on pushing creative boundaries, aiming to significantly elevate each project. With a strong leadership ethos, I foster collaboration and enthusiasm to seamlessly achieve our goals. By infusing strategic insights into every idea, I ensure each brand stands out authentically in its market
Khouloud Razzouqui
Creative Strategist | Optimum Marketing Group, Morocco
As a Creative Strategist at Optimum Marketing Group, I lead and execute innovative marketing campaigns for various clients, ranging from small businesses to large corporations. I leverage my skills in benchmarking, writing, thinking and researching to deliver high-quality results that meet the clients needs and expectations, as well as the company’s standards and objectives.
With a Master’s degree in Marketing and Communication from HEM Casablanca and IAE Lyon France, I acquired a solid foundation in marketing theory and practice, as well as a global perspective and intercultural awareness. I have been a Strategic Planning Specialist since 2023, and a Creative mind since forever… Applying my analytical and creative thinking to develop effective and impactful communication strategies that align with the market trends and consumer behavior. I am passionate about finding new and original ways to communicate and connect with different audiences, and I enjoy working with a diverse and talented team of professionals.
Janka Csapó
Digital Marketing Manager | The LEGO Group, Hungary, Greece and Adriatic
Nicola Baumann
Group Creative Director | PEIX Health Group, Germany
With 25+ years in the game and a track record of award-winning work, Nicola blends bold creativity with strategic depth. She’s led multidisciplinary teams across the healthcare and consumer space – shaping campaigns, brands, and narratives that resonate.
Her work spans global product launches, disease awareness, patient engagement, and more – always aiming to create meaningful connections between people and ideas.”
Phoobeth Thitinavakul
Creative Group Head | SOUR Bangkok
Phoobeth is Creative Group Head/Art Director at SOUR Bangkok, Southeast Asia’s leading independent agency. With a sharp eye for culture and concept, he crafts work that resonates locally and globally.
His work has been recognized by both local and international awards. Earlier in his career, he had the opportunity to represent Thailand as a AdFest Young Lotus delegate and was awarded in the Young Cannes Lions competition.
In 2023, he was appointed as a Young Judge at the Adman Awards Thailand, reflecting the industry’s recognition of his growing influence and contribution to the creative community.
Francesca Castano
Scientific Director | VML Health, Italy
My professional journey began in the laboratories of the Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, where I discovered the wonder of scientific research and had the privilege of collaborating with brilliant minds.
Driven by a desire for new challenges, I then embarked on a path in the dynamic world of medical-scientific communication. It was love at first sight, a passion that has lasted over twenty years and continues to grow. I immediately understood that this field requires the same curiosity, rigor, and dedication as research, but with the added ability to transform complex scientific data into engaging stories. My goal has always been to understand the needs and concerns of the audience, whether they are doctors, patients, or the public, to communicate clearly and appropriately.
Today, as a Scientific Director I coordinate the Medical Strategy team at VML Health, a leading agency in medical-scientific communication. I remain committed to writing and research, approaching each project as a valuable opportunity for professional and personal development.
Chotika Tantipong
Executive Creative Director | CJ Work, Thailand
George Sugitomo
CCO | Shiseido, Japan
George has a master’s in architecture but went on to structure words instead of buildings. Went on a four-year honeymoon around the world building houses and came back to Tokyo to build a family and became a father of two. Still couldn’t resist moving around the globe to London, Budapest and Manila as a creative, designing films, websites and apps along the way. Recently became the CCO of Shiseido learning everything about hair and makeup and amazed by the over 150-year-old in-house brand.
Yash kulshresth
Co Founder & CCO | Atom Network, India
15+ years of chasing wild ideas, 90+ creative awards, and half a degree that never got in the way.
Once named India’s 5th Hottest Creative (no, there was no swimsuit round) and the 40th Most Awarded Copywriter in the world by The Drum, which only made his mom ask, “So when will you be No.1?”. Yash is now co-building ^atom network, teaching at Miami Ad School, and judging award shows he once prayed to get into. As a toddler, Yash loved humans. Now he prefers a tight circle of smart, strange, and sarcastic beings.
Alvin Shiguefuzi
Executive Creative Director | Droga5, Brazil
Alvin is an Executive Creative Director from São Paulo – Brazil, currently working at Droga5. As creative, he truly believe in campaigns with real purpose and relevance, connecting brands with people through culture.
His creative background mixes a digital mindset with traditional media experience, delivering integrated and consistent work for local and global brands in all kind of markets, such as Google, Netflix, ABInBev (Corona, Stella Artois), KraftHeinz, Nestlé, P&G, J&J(Kenvue), GSK, Bayer, among so many others, and also being recognized in all major awards, including some short film festivals.
Carolina Borzatto
Marketing Director | SAP, LATAM + Mexico
I do care — about the planet, people, animals, and our shared future. I want to leave a better world for my children, with more conscious and compassionate humans. I believe each of us has a role to play in creating positive change.
Professionally, I’m the Marketing Director for LATAM at SAP Concur, where I lead campaigns and events that deliver real value to customers and drive business growth. With over 20 years of experience across marketing and entertainment, I’m passionate about innovation, problem-solving, and navigating ambiguity with confidence.
I’m a purpose-driven leader who thrives on collaboration, creative thinking, and making things happen. I feel honored to be a LUUM Awards juror — a role that reflects my belief in the power of communication to promote initiatives that protect and restore our planet.
Chatchai Butsabakorn
Executive Creative Director | VML, Thailand
Jon Biggs
Executive Creative Director | Monks, UK
A designer by trade and a maker at heart, Jon takes a multidisciplinary approach to creativity, one that blends craft, technology, and strategic thinking.
He believes that the real opportunity for creative businesses today lies in redefining how they work. By harnessing emerging technologies, Jon helps transform not just what brands make, but how they make it, forging more connected, relevant, and impactful experiences at every touchpoint.
As part of the global creative leadership team at Monks, Jon is focused on pushing the creative practice forward. He has a proven track record of winning new clients, shaping innovative workflows, and scaling creative capabilities in a way that’s both future-focused and grounded in results. He builds fast-moving, ambitious departments that thrive on experimentation, collaboration, and continuous evolution, talent and technology together to unlock new creative potential.
And while his teams win the shiny stuff, over 100 awards including Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clios, and more, Jon still believes the most exciting part of the job is rolling up his sleeves and getting stuck in.
Ricardo Corsaro
Chief Creative Officer | Publicis Groupe, Chile
Chief Creative Officer at Publicis Groupe Chile, ranked among the Top 10 Most Admired Creative Agency Professionals in 2023–24. With over 20 years of industry experience, he has worked with major brands such as Nescafé, Maggi, Visa, McDonald’s, Santander, Coca-Cola, Heineken, Chevrolet, Bci, Bimbo, and Teletón, among others. His work has been recognized at numerous festivals including Cannes, Clio, D&AD, EFFIE, EFFIE Latam, El Sol, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, FIAP, and ACHAP. He has also served as a jury member at several prestigious competitions, including the Effie Global Best of the Best.
Andre Havt
Executive Creative Director | MullenLowe, Brazil
Tomoyuki Kuwayama
Creative Director | HERALBONY, Japan
Creative Director at HERALBONY, art licensing company creating a new social value with artists with intellectual disabilities. With 10 years of experience as a news reporter and documentary producer for a television station, he has planned numerous projects centred on visual expression. He has won manifold awards, including a Gold Lion in “Glass: The Lion for Change” at Cannes Lions.
Martin Staaf
Group Creative Director | We are social, USA
Martin is a Stockholm-born, New York–based Creative Director, who believes that good work starts with asking good questions. As Group Creative Director at We Are Social, he leads sport-focused work for Adidas, Foot Locker, Under Armour, and Visa.
Previously at BBDO New York for nearly a decade, he helped win and shape campaigns for EA Sports, Meta, Ford, AT&T and Bacardi.
His work has been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, CBS, Forbes, Fortune, the LA Times, Mashable, Gizmodo, and once nearly changed parliamentary procedure in Sweden.
Fabio Astolpho
Vice President, Creative and Operations | Publicis, Brazil
Fabio Astolpho is an art director by background, known for his strong focus on craft and the balance between refined aesthetics and commercial effectiveness. He has won over 90 international awards, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Clio, Effie, and São Paulo Creative Club. He built his career at leading agencies like DM9DDB, BBH Brasil, Talent (Publicis), and F.biz (WPP), where he helped lead the agency to its first Cannes Lions wins.
In 2010, he was the most published Brazilian art director in Lürzer’s Archive, and in 2017, he was named one of Brazil’s top three creative directors by the Brazilian Advertising Association. He currently leads TheDream, a dedicated unit of over 100 professionals focused exclusively on Honda Brazil, overseeing all business areas including cars, motorcycles, financial and customer services, and corporate communications.
Outside advertising, he is a visual artist with works in the permanent collection of MIS-SP and a vintage motorcycle custom builder, two passions through which he expands his creative expression.
Johnny Selman
Founder & ECD | Selman, USA
Johnny Selman is the Founder and ECD of Selman, a Brooklyn-based studio named AdAge 2025 Design Agency of the Year. Selman specializes in brand identities, campaigns, and design systems, brought to life through motion, visual, editorial, and experiential design. Their decade-long partnership with Google Creative Lab demonstrates their depth in creative R&D, while their work for Candylab highlights their passion for playful storytelling. They’ve designed for nonprofits and social justice orgs like the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, where design drives impact.
Alfred Wee
Executive Creative Director | McCann Worldgroup, Singapore
With over 20 years of diverse experience in the creative industry, Alfred is ECD at McCann Worldgroup Singapore. He has earned global recognition and numerous awards, including EFFIES, The One Show, D&AD, Cannes, Spikes Asia, Clios, LIA, ADFEST, and the New York Festivals.
Beyond his professional achievements, Alfred is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of creative talent. As an advisory member for various institutions and universities, he actively mentors emerging creatives and plays a pivotal role in shaping the industry’s future, instilling hope and optimism for the next generation of creatives.
Pauliina Rasi
CEO & Founder | Pauliina Rasi, Switzerland
Pauliina Rasi is a writer, communication strategist, and trainer. With 20 years of experience as a journalist and communications consultant, she helps businesses, projects, and professionals communicate their messages with clarity and confidence.
Pauliina’s work focuses on breaking writing strategy into actionable pieces so that professionals and entrepreneurs can turn into effective content effortlessly and cut through the digital noise to share their message with people who matter.
When not typing on her laptop at 75 words a minute, she can be found on the slopes of the Swiss Alps or spending time in nature with her family and friends.
Sergio Pollaccia
CEO/DGC | AMENGROUP, Argentina
He served twice as a Jury Member at Cannes Lions (Direct / Jury President for Young Lions Print). He has been both juror and winner at all major advertising festivals. Creator of Brand Argentina for Tourism, Culture, and Sports. The first Argentine creative to develop a campaign in the Falkland Islands. His agency, Amén Argentina, was named Entrepreneurial Agency of the Year by the Argentine Marketing Association.
Jonathan Brodie
Creative Director | Design Bridge and Partners, Singapore
Jonathan (or Jay, as he’s known) is a UK-born, Singapore-based Creative Director who specialises in creating ideas-led brand identities grounded in strong strategic foundations.
He has worked at some of London’s most awarded branding agencies, across a wide range of clients including Shelter, Canon, Shakespeare’s Globe, O2, Cancer Research UK, HSBC, Intel Gaming, Arte, Indigo Art Museum, Colgate-Palmolive and many more.
He believes in the power of design to drive positive impact through strategic clarity, creative storytelling, and ideas that truly resonate. His work has been recognised internationally with awards from Cannes Lions, D&AD, New York Festivals, ADC, Clio, The One Show, Type Directors Club and others.
In 2015, he co-led the second edition redesign of A Smile in the Mind with Greg Quinton — which went on to become a No.1 Amazon bestseller and was exhibited during the London Design Festival.
Since relocating to South East Asia in 2023, Jay has worked extensively across the region, leading a talented team of designers dedicated to building and evolving brands.
He’s passionate about creating work that really works.
Rommel Puertas
Executive Creative Director | Norlop VML, Ecuador
Rommel began his career as a Marketing Trainee at global brands like Colgate-Palmolive and Johnson & Johnson, supporting Consumer and Customer Marketing teams.
In 2015, he decided to follow his true passion—advertising—and started as a Junior Copywriter for Mi Comisariato, one of Ecuador’s largest retailers.
Over nearly a decade at Norlop VML Ecuador, he has led creative work for some of the country’s most iconic brands, including Corp. El Rosado, Solca (Ecuadorian Cancer Fighting Society), Nestlé, KitKat, Bimbo, Rexona, Dove, Lotería Nacional, and Nirsa. His work has earned recognition at both international and local festivals, such as Clio, FIAP, Saniss, Effie Latam, Effie Ecuador and El Cóndor.
When he’s not working on new ideas, you’ll find him playing the clown and voice actor for his 4-year-old son, Martín—proof that creativity never takes a break.
Carlos (Sánchez)
Executive Creative Director | SSP3 Mullenlowe Group, Colombia
Carlos Sánchez, ECD at MullenLowe Group. With over 15 years in advertising —12 of them at the agency— I’m known as (Sánchez): a creative who aims for ideas to go beyond the brief and truly resonate with people.
Trent Thompson
Executive Creative Director | Cossette, Canada
Trent is a global-award-winning, cross-disciplinary writer and Creative Director with 25 years in the industry. Over the last 12 of those years, he’s helped teams to think of, create and win for work on a range of clients from financial and automotive to not-for-profit and healthcare. If asked, he’d tell you that helping launch Cossette’s ground-breaking SickKids ‘VS’ platform is a career highlight.
When he isn’t helping lead the amazingly-talented team at Cossette, Trent focuses his efforts on helping the next generation of talent. As co-founder of the free connection and mentorship platform, GroundFloor, and part-time Professor of Creative Advertising at Humber Polytechnic in Toronto, Trent is doing his utmost to help young talent navigate the ever-evolving business and creative landscape. He is also on the Board of Directors for NABS Canada – a charity supporting the people of the Canadian advertising and media industries.
Karen Mazzoli
Marketing and Communication Executive | Switzerland
Founder, Karen Mazzoli Communications, Switzerland
A communications leader with over 25 years of experience in global communications in diverse sectors including media, TV, humanitarian, transport, sustainability, health and trade. Led marketing, media and communications in several international organisations including Eurovision, IRU and EASL.
Senthil Kumar
CCO | VML, India
Alvar Suñol
Co-President and Chief Creative Officer | alma, USA
Born in Barcelona, Alvar is a Catalán driven by curiosity and adrenaline in equal measure. This has fueled his drive to ultimately lead creative departments at agencies in Europe, South America and the United States, earning major awards for clients along the way. Under his leadership, modern culture agency alma has become one of the most creatively awarded agencies in the country, both in mainstream and multicultural markets.
Most recently, Alvar’s distinctions include being named to the prestigious Adweek 50 in 2023, as well as alma’s #8 position in the One Show for Creativity’s 2022 ranking, while Alvar was ranked the #5 most awarded CCO globally as he led the creative team behind the iconic Better With Pepsi work, which was named the most awarded campaign in the world in 2022.
With a focus on creative effectiveness, Alvar’s leadership contributed to the agency’s 2022 Effies ranking as #1 in the U.S. Since his arrival at alma in 2015, he has also led the agency as it won 36 of its 38 prestigious Cannes Lions for clients like Clorox, Pepsi, Netflix, Tabaco Free Florida and Change the Ref and earned a spot on the Ad Age A-List seven times. Encouraging toptier craft at alma, his team has been awarded several Grand Prix at The Drum Awards, London International Awards, AdForum PHNX, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, El Sol and FIAP, among others., His team has also secured multiple Agency of the Year titles, including at the 2022 London International Awards.
Alvar was also named Mexico’s Best Creative at the 2006 El Ojo de Iberoamérica festival, as well as Best U.S. Creative in 2016, 2017, 2020, 2023 and 2024. Alvar has participated as a judge at Cannes Lions, D&AD, London International Awards, Clios, One Show, Eurobest, New York Festival, Effies, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, El Sol, FIAP and more. He has led the agency to land the #1 spot in the Adlatina Crema ranking, and the top three in all of Iberoamérica.
Alvar currently leads teams in the creative development for clients including McDonald’s, Molson Coors, PepsiCo, IKEA, Wells Fargo, CVS Health, Amazon and Quickbooks, among others. Throughout his career, he has worked with brands including Ford, Volkswagen, Unilever, Nestlé, Nike, BBVA, Banco Santander, HBC, Iberia, Movistar, Sprint, and Pfizer.
João Resende
Creative Director | W/McCann, Brazil
João Resende has been a Creative Director at WMcCann since 2019. A copywriter from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he brings 20 years of experience working in the creative departments of Brazilian international renowned agencies such as DPZ, F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, NBS/Dentsu and Artplan. In recent years, he has created successful campaigns for global brands including Coca-Cola, Centrum and L’Oréal Paris, with his work recognized at some of the world’s most prestigious festivals. Additionally he has served as Creative Director at Instituto Vini.Jr, and authored books about The Beatles.
Kartika Guerrero
Head of Media | Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Indonesia
Kartika Guerrero is the Senior Vice President of Media at Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH), leading the Media Centre of Excellence to drive integration, efficiency, and data-driven creativity across the organization. With a career spanning FMCG, agency, and telco, she brings a unique blend of brand stewardship and media innovation, championing responsible investments and partnerships that deliver measurable growth while optimizing resources. Kartika is recognized for her ability to balance business impact with creative excellence and sustainability, shaping marketing strategies that create value for both brands and communities.
Sharon Herrera
Markerting Strategist | PHD, Guatemala
I do care about animal welfare, empathy, and the power of creativity to drive meaningful change. I believe strategy isn’t just about selling, but about understanding: people, cultures, emotions. I want to be part of a world where communication builds bridges, not barriers, and where brands are brave enough to act with purpose.
Currently, I’m a Brand Strategist at Phd Guatemala, part of the global Omnicom Media Group (OMG) network. I bring over 15 years of experience across agencies, research firms, and corporate communication roles, building insight-driven strategies that truly connect with people. I started my career in research and evolved into strategy and creativity, always guided by a passion for uncovering the emotional “why” behind human behavior.
In the past, I’ve also contributed as a volunteer in animal welfare projects, convinced that compassion is a powerful form of leadership in life and in advertising
Fernando Sarael
Head of Newsroom | RGE, Indonesia
Fernando Sarael heads RGE Newsroom, the digital center of excellence shaping strategy, content, and storytelling for RGE and its business groups. With assets exceeding US$40 billion and a workforce of 80,000 serving 100+ markets, RGE is a global leader in bio-based resources—driving sustainable solutions with positive environmental and social impact. The Newsroom amplifies this commitment, building narratives that strengthen reputation and showcase RGE’s focus on sustainability and innovation.
Previously, Fernando served as Head of Social & Content and Business Director at Ogilvy Indonesia, where he led award-winning campaigns for brands like Wyeth Nutrition and Nestlé, and modernized the agency’s digital capabilities to create more meaningful, data-driven brand connections with audiences. He was commended by Campaign Asia as Southeast Asia Young Business Leader of the Year in 2022.
Hamza Amjad
Executive Creative Director | Ogilvy, Pakistan
Hamza is a hurricane with a heart, the kind that storms into briefs but stays for the feelings. A mere mortal who wants to tell immortal stories. An obsessive hoarder and teller of equal parts vivid and juicy anecdotes. Hopelessly in love with writing and rewriting… just not his own bios. Hates getting straight to the point. Loves to digress yet somehow keeps you hooked.
Officially: Executive Director of Creative, Social & Performance Management at Ogilvy Pakistan (Hater of long job titles and corporate jargon) Unofficially: An admirer of art and artisans, and a social media addict with hazardous screen time.
With over 15 years of committing creative crimes across FMCGs, Telcos, and brands that panic at the sight of bold ideas, he’s accidentally made history a few times, like winning Pakistan’s first two Grands Prix at Cannes Lions, becoming the country’s first Cannes Lions awarding juror, or ranking 40th globally on The Drum’s Creative Director list, all while being named Pakistan’s most awarded creative (Campaign Brief Asia said it… seriously). He’s picked up 135+ international awards, from Cannes to Clios, One Show to D&AD, Spikes Asia to LIA, Madstars, Tambuli, Sabres, Global Influencer Marketing Awards, Effies and beyond, and is still a little embarrassed about keeping count. But he has to, because ADHD and being bad at math make him forget how far he’s come.
Currently obsessing to champion the use of creative tech to solve real business problems, with a strong bias and an even stronger inclination toward bridging the gaps of inclusion and equality around us. He’s also possibly plotting an early retirement on a film set, preferably behind the camera… or as a full time film critic, because he’s convinced, he was born to watch, review… and let’s be honest, rant…if that ever helps pay the bills.
Adyasha Tomar
Creative Director | McCann, India
Adyasha is a Creative Director and copywriter with a proven track record of building campaigns that turn brands into cultural conversations.
Over the years, she has worked across leading agencies, shaping identities and voices for clients that demand both scale and originality. Her work goes beyond clever lines. She has helped create narratives that people connect with, remember, and share.
Outside the agency world, she extends her craft as a columnist, where her writing blends wit, candour, and cultural insight. This dual lens gives her a distinctive edge: she knows how to sell ideas while keeping them human, relevant, and resonant.
Cristian Tarzi
Executive Creative Director | Mercado McCann, Argentina
With over 10 years of experience, Cristian Tarzi is a passionate creative with a deep commitment to powerful ideas. He’s currently the ECD at Mercado McCann and has worked for brands like Coca-Cola, Adidas, Google, Netflix, TyC Sports, Burger King, Citroën and Visa. With awards at Cannes Lions, Clio, LIA, El Ojo, One Show and Effie, his work has earned over 10 Grand Prix and the first-ever Best of Show for Latin America at New York Festivals. Before Luum Awards, Cristian has served as a jury member at creativity festivals across Latam and Europe.
Andre Felix
Vice President, Creative Director | Publicis Health, USA
Creative thinker. Craft-driven storyteller. AI specialist. Hockey enthusiast.
I’m a multidisciplinary creative with a deep love for ideas—and an even deeper respect for craft. Whether it’s shaping a narrative, designing an interactive experience, or refining the cinematography in a film, I obsess over every detail to make sure the soul of the idea shines through.
Over the years, I’ve partnered with brands like WhatsApp, Disney, Meta, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Pfizer, and Kimberly-Clark to create bold, emotional work that connects with people. My projects have earned 300+ awards at Cannes Lions, The One Show, D&AD, CLIO, and more. I’ve also had the honor of serving on juries around the world.
Originally from Brazil, and now a proud citizen of both Portugal and the United States, I’ve worked across Latin America, Europe, and North America. When I’m not building ideas, you’ll probably find me at a hockey rink, cheering on my son from the stands.
Elizabeth Valleau
Executive Creative Director | Accenture Song, UK
With over 20 years of leading world-class creative, design, and technology teams, Elizabeth Valleau is currently the Executive Creative Director and founding leader of Accenture Song’s New Realities team, which is focused on transforming culture, communication and business by applying essential new technology experiences. She serves as an industry thought leader and maker in the areas of gen ai, immersive experiences, and digital identity, always through the lens of culture. She came to Accenture Song after seven years as Global Creative Lead at Meta where she build products and campaigns that pushed both culture and innovation, creating groundbreaking campaigns and partnerships with LVMH, SXSW, Coachella, Pepsico, The Tate, and adidas. She also lead R&D for the AR features across Meta platforms, as well as the Orion glasses
and Neurolink.Elizabeth has built her career creating sea-changes inside of global creative agencies and brands. She’s lead teams to create new products used by billions of people, and creative campaigns that have won the industries highest awards. She’s served on startup advisory boards, lead mentorship groups for Women in STEM, and given keynote speeches on the worlds most prestigous stages such as The ADC, CES, The United Nations and Cannes.
Ricardo Mendoza
CCO | Ogilvy, Guatemala
Colombian creative.
He has worked across more than 20 categories and developed campaigns for 66 different brands throughout Latin America.
He has lived in Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, and Guatemala, serving as the creative lead at Leo Burnett, DDB, McCann, and now Ogilvy.
With 126 awards, he has been recognized at Cannes, One Show, Clio, New York Festival, San Sebastián, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, FIAP, among others.
He has served as a juror multiple times for the New York Festival, Annual Creativepool, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, El Sol, FIAP, Young Lions, and various local festivals across different countries.
El Ojo de Iberoamérica has named him the Best Creative in Central America and the Caribbean on two occasions.
Evan Dunn
Executive Creative Director | AKQA, Netherlands
Caren Spigland
Creative Director | Eversana Intouch, USA
I work out of the Chicago office and this photo shows me in high-school, where I was Editor-In-Chief of The Mt. Vernon Knight News
Lukas Calderón Giraldo
General Creative Director | el taier DDB Centro, Guatemala
“If ideas are born from experiences, then you have to live them. I prefer to listen, evolve constantly, and observe everything around me — even the things I don’t like. You learn from everything in life. In this business, you have to reinvent yourself every single day. I’m one of those who studied advertising out of conviction — someone who truly enjoys what he does and constantly pushes himself to deliver more than expected.”
In 2008, he began his career at Leo Burnett as part of the Digital and Shopper Marketing team. His early experience led him to Leo Burnett México, where he led Procter & Gamble’s communications across the region. For three years, he ran the regional team for AB InBev’s Local Premium Brands in Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador — unifying brand communication strategies and raising the creative standard, resulting in more memorable and well-recognized campaigns. One of these was included in Fortune magazine’s “Ideas That Change the World” ranking.
He later served as Creative Director at Leo Burnett and Saatchi & Saatchi Colombia, leading a team of 30 creatives working for major brands such as Enel, P&G, Kellogg’s, and Cusezar. Then became Chief Creative Officer at Badillo Saatchi & Saatchi in Puerto Rico.
He is currently working at “el taier DDB Centro” — the top-ranked agency in the Central American market, according to the 2024 Libro Crema. He is responsible for the creative output of all brands managed by the office, including Banco Industrial, Ambev (Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras), Pepsi, and Granjero, among others.
Throughout his career in advertising, he has earned more than 150 awards at international industry festivals, including Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, New York Festivals, Kinsale Shark, El Sol, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, Effie Colombia, Effie México, Lürzer’s Archive, and more.
He has also served as a jury member for The One Show, New York Festivals, AME Awards, the Antigua Festival (Guatemala), El Ojo de Iberoamérica, and Cúspide.
Melanie Droz
Associative Creative Director | SajoMcCann, USA
Melanie is a national and international award-winning copywriter with more than 15 years of experience in the creative field. As a Copywriter and Associate Creative Director, she has led the creativity of some of the world’s greatest brands, including Walgreens, Procter & Gamble, Nutella, GSK, MTV Puerto Rico, Burger King, L’Oréal, Johnson & Johnson and Mercedes-Benz. From healthcare to hi-tech to fashion to food, she has done it. Her work has been recognized for blending sharp strategic thinking with bold, culturally relevant ideas that connect with audiences across markets. Beyond awards, what truly defines her career is her ability to craft stories that inspire action, shift perceptions, and leave a lasting impact.
Andres Zuluaga
Associative Creative Director | DDB, Colombia
Andrés Zuluaga (known to everyone as Zulu) has over 10 years of experience in the advertising industry. He has developed his career from Art Director to Creative Director, earning recognition for his campaigns at festivals such as Effie Colombia.
Working at DDB and as part of the creative leadership team, the agency has been recognized as the most creative and effective in Colombia at top global festivals over the past three years.
In addition to his professional work, Zulu has been active in the academic field, attending workshops on leadership, advertising creativity, and creativity with a social focus.
With a background in Advertising, Creativity, and Audiovisual Production, he has worked with major national and international brands such as Grupo Nutresa, Lyne, Zenú, Haceb, Sura, Grupo Éxito, Tigo, Colanta, Grupo Argos, and Metro de Medellín on projects with strategic, commercial, entertainment, and sustainability-driven objectives.
Jane Sequeira
Creative Director | Grey, India
I’m a Creative Director with over seven years of experience in advertising, with a focus on brand building, digital storytelling, and social-first ideas that spark cultural relevance. I’ve led campaigns across diverse categories in India, creating work that bridges strategy and creativity while connecting brands meaningfully with their audiences.
My work has been recognised across national and international platforms. But most importantly, by the audiences they were built for.
What drives me is building distinctive creative platforms and crafting ideas that feel fresh, impactful, and rooted in the way people engage with brands today.
James Mendoza
Creative Director | TBWA\SMP, Philippines
“James Mendoza is an award-winning Creative Director at TBWA\SMP. He is an exceptional storyteller across all media, with notable works for McDonald’s, Bench, Spotify, and UNICEF that have helped cement the agency’s place among Asia’s top creative powerhouses.
Known by his colleagues as a kind and compassionate creative, he brings his personal advocacies to life through his ideas and proactively creates work that is not only award-winning but also changemaking.
In 2021, he was named one of Campaign Brief Asia’s Hottest Creatives in the Philippines. A two-time Philippine flag bearer in international young creative competitions, James brought home a metal for the country in 2023.
Looking ahead, he strives to shape culture and create more inspiring work for good.”
Luisana Montoya
Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs | McCann Worldgroup, Latin America & Caribbean
Luisana Montoya is the Communications and Corporate Affairs Director for McCann Worldgroup in Latin America and the Caribbean. Previously, she served as Sustainability and DE&I Manager for the region, leading the company’s sustainability strategy. With a solid career spanning over 20 years, Luisana has dedicated her professional life to understanding human behavior and its impact on society. Her experience ranges from development projects at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where she championed initiatives in human rights, environmental issues, gender equality, and social development, to her work with civil society organizations and private companies.
In her current role, Luisana leads McCann Worldgroup’s communications and corporate reputation strategy for the region, amplifying the company’s creative vision, promoting talent, and strengthening institutional positioning. Her focus is on integrating sustainability and inclusion at the core of the business strategy, creating meaningful and impactful proposals that positively affect people’s lives.
Luisana’s vision is centered on building a better world through a triple-impact sustainability approach, with inclusion as a fundamental pillar. She aspires to create a society free of gender bias for future generations, where every individual can reach their full potential in a diverse and inclusive environment.
Ivan Calle
VP/Executive Creative Director | VML & ZUBI, USA
Ivan has worked in the advertising industry for over 20 years. Originally from Colombia, he graduated as an Industrial Designer before moving to the U.S., where he began an MBA in Marketing at Georgia Tech University in Atlanta. Soon after, he discovered his true passion lay in advertising and pursued a two-year program at Portfolio Center, now Miami Ad School. Upon graduating, he landed a job at Young & Rubicam, and the rest is history. He has since worked at agencies like Bates, and today, Ivan leads the creative team at VML Miami and Zubi, leveraging his multicultural background to elevate the work.
Throughout his career, Ivan has worked with brands like Texaco, AT&T, Dell Computers, DHL, Citibank, Sony, Mercedes-Benz, BellSouth, Purina Cat Chow, Time Magazine, Wendy’s, ESPN, Ford, Lincoln, Florida Lottery, M&M Mars, S.C. Johnson, Miller, ExxonMobil, YMCA, American Airlines, JIF, Smuckers, Chase, Smirnoff, Aflac, Unilever, Walgreens, The CLEO Institute, Cesar Dog Food, Temptations, and many more.
Ivan has received numerous awards at prestigious shows such as Cannes, The Andys, D&AD, New York Festival, Luum Awards, One Show, LIA, ADC, Clio, Fiap, Awwwards, Ojo de Iberoamérica, Effie, El Sol, National Addys, AHAA, Wave, Graphis, and IAB Mixx Awards, among others.
Alejandro Canciobello
Regional Executive Creative Director | DDB, Hong Kong
Alejandro started his career in advertising in 2009. He strongly believes that advertising has the potential to have a beneficial impact on societies worldwide. Also, that the launch of Pokemon Go was as close as humanity has come to experiencing world peace.
This 6ft tall Peruvian has worked at JWT Lima, Young & Rubicam, Grey (Carne) and McCann Worldgroup, picking up metals at Cannes with a Gold Lion in mobile, and a Silver Lion in creative data. His work has also been awarded at The One Show, D&AD, NYF, CLIO, LIA, The Webby, ANDY, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, El Sol de Bilbao, among others. He has worked with major brands such as Sony, Toyota, Amnesty International, McDonald’s, Nestle, Movistar, DirecTV, Coca-Cola, Mastercard, GSK and more.
Alejandro’s wanderlust has taken him from Lima to Singapore, having held Creative Director roles at McCann, Leo Burnett and now as Regional Executive Creative Director at DDB Group Hong Kong.
His hunger for rule-breaking ideas is rivalled only by his insatiable appetite for dim sum, particularly siu mai. He loves his rum on the rocks and listening to Midnight Train to Georgia when working into the night with his team.
His mantra is to love people more than work.
Fadi Hus
Creative Director | Giraffe Creatives, Zambia
A creative entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in production, design, filming, and directing advertising campaigns at Giraffe Creatives, where I helped brands tell stories that moved people and drove business results.
Today, I’m the founder of GreatPeople (formerly RateMe), a feedback intelligence platform built for people-powered industries like hospitality, retail, and healthcare, with a mission of turning customer feedback into frontline employee growth.
I’ve dedicated my career to solving problems at the intersection of creativity, human behavior, and business. Now, at GreatPeople, that means giving recognition back to the individuals behind great service, and helping businesses retain, motivate, and grow their teams in the process.
Always learning. Always building. And now, obsessed with how technology can make people feel seen and valued.
Emily Koridze
Creative Director | Leavingstone, Georgia
Emily Koridze is a Creative Director at Leavingstone, one of Georgia’s most awarded agencies. Over the past seven years, she has explored diverse roles within the creative field, which shaped her multidisciplinary approach to ideas. She began her career exploring different roles, from account management to copywriting, before finding her true passion in creative direction.
Malek Ghorayeb
Chief Creative Officer | Publicis Communication Levant + P&G Global Hub, Lebanon
58 years old. 36 years in advertising. 1 marriage, 1 divorce, 0 kids.
2,000+ shoots, pitches stopped being countable long ago.
8 countries lived in, 52 destinations explored, 300+ cities and villages walked.
Reads 2 books a month, but binges 6 episodes in one night.
Consumed approximately 14 tons of chocolate, balanced with exactly 0 salads.
Once promised to go to the gym 365 times… went 12.
In short, a man of many numbers… yet still searching for that 1 idea that adds up to all the awards.
1 liner:
58 years old, 36 in advertising, 2,000+ shoots, 1 ex-wife, 14 tons of chocolate, 0 salads… yet still chasing that one big idea worth all the awards.
Florencia Kessler
Global Creative Reputation Officer | Grey, Argentina
Florencia is a seasoned PR and Creative Excellence specialist with over 17 years in advertising. As Chief Reputation Officer for Grey Latam, she spearheaded regional PR strategy, collaborating closely with CCOs to enhance campaign visibility and secure earned recognition. Her efforts highlighted impactful projects such as Sightwalks (Grey Perú), Life Saving Stickers (Grey Colombia), and The Postponed Day (Grey Argentina). Notably, “The Postponed Day” garnered significant industry accolades, including two PR Gold Lions, a Yellow PR Pencil at D&AD, a Gold PR Pencil at One Show and two Grand Prix at Clios.
In 2024, Florencia was named Global Creative Reputation Officer, a role in which she now guides creative reputation strategies across all Grey studios worldwide. She also contributed her expertise as a jury member for the PR Shortlist at Cannes Lions 2025.
Cihan Kavaklipinar
Founder & Creative Chairman | CIAN, Turkey
He was born in Istanbul and graduated from Galatasaray University’s Faculty of Communication. He has spent over 20 years in the advertising industry. His campaigns have been recognized many times on national and international stages. With more than 500 awards throughout his career, he is among Türkiye’s most awarded creatives. To date, he has won 18 Effie Awards for his impactful campaigns.
He has served as Creative Director and Executive Creative at leading network agencies including Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, Havas, McCann, and Cheil. In 2022, he launched his own agency, CIAN, centered on the idea of Intuitive Advertising, and co-founded Magician Production.
While continuing to lecture at universities, he has participated as a jury member, jury president, and speaker at numerous competitions and festivals. He also serves on the board of the Advertising Creatives Association of Türkiye.
Benjamin Pedrero
CCO | BBDO, Mexico
Benjamín Pedrero is a 40-year-old Mexican with extensive experience in the advertising industry; Among the agencies he has worked for are Terán/TBWA, (anónimo), Ogilvy, DDB & Leo Burnett.
Currently, he works as CCO at BBDO México.
He has worked with important national and international brands including Coca-Cola, Nike, Librerías Gandhi, Mars, Bayer, Sabritas, Pepsico, Diageo, Volkswagen & Cerveza Corona, his work has won more than 100 local and international advertising awards in festivals such as Cannes Lions, Círculo de Oro, FIAP, El Sol, El Ojo de Iberoamérica, One Show, FICE, among others.
Nominated as “Creative Leader of the Year” by the Creativepool platform in 2023, 2024 & 2025.
He is also a guy very interested in preparing young talent in the creative industry. He has given classes, workshops, courses and conferences at different universities and creativity schools in the country.
Leandro da Silva Valente
Associate Creative Director | LePub, Brazil
A little native of the Brazilian Amazon who wanted to improve the world through his creative talent
Rick Kwan
Executive Creative Director | Grey, Hong Kong
A proud Canadian who has found his true home in the vibrant energy of Hong Kong. As Executive Creative Director at Grey Hong Kong, he’s a driving force, consistently transforming creative vision into tangible success. Under his leadership, the agency has secured over 30 pitch wins in just four years, delivering impactful, award-winning campaigns for a diverse roster of clients including the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Lee Kum Kee, HSBC, and P&G.
Rick’s expertise lies in understanding what truly resonates. His work has consistently earned recognition on the global stage, most recently with 2 shortlists at Cannes 2025 as well as with accolades from The One Show, Effies APAC, Effies Greater China, Spikes Asia, New York Festivals, and Kam Fan. This track record demonstrates a clear understanding of the strategic depth and creative excellence required for international acclaim. His extensive portfolio spans iconic global brands like Coca-Cola, HSBC, Cathay Pacific, and Tumi, alongside significant local players such as DBS and HKSTP. This breadth of experience provides a unique perspective, allowing him to evaluate work that speaks universally while appreciating critical local nuances. Rick champions innovation, expertly leveraging multi-channel strategies, event marketing, and cutting-edge technology to ensure creative ideas are not only compelling but also highly effective.
At his core, Rick is a passionate advocate for meaningful storytelling. He consistently delivers campaigns that elevate expectations and leave a lasting impression on audiences and the industry. He’s ready to bring his discerning eye and extensive experience to your judging panel. (And yes, he shares these insights with his wife, daughter, son, and his ever-lovable dog, Olsen. An ever supportive audience.)
Jonathan McVinish
Chief Creative Officer | Dentsu Creative, Mexico
Jonathan McVinish is an undeniable benchmark in the Latin American creative advertising industry. With nearly two decades of experience at renowned agencies such as Leo Burnett, JWT, VML, DraftLine, and Dentsu Creative, he has built a career defined by strategic vision, inspiring leadership, and a deep understanding of how creativity can transform both businesses and culture. His ability to integrate innovation, technology, and storytelling has driven projects that not only win the trust of global brands like Google, Netflix, The North Face, HSBC, and AB InBev, but also forge genuine connections with people. Recognized at international festivals for the boldness and effectiveness of his ideas, McVinish has established himself as a creative force who transcends advertising, becoming a true agent of change and proving that great ideas don’t just sell — they inspire, provoke, and leave a lasting mark on society.
Boris Calle
Executive Creative Director | Lajencia, Ecuador
My journey in advertising started at 17, in the most junior role you can imagine: survey taker in the research department. From there, my curiosity to understand people drove me to move through different agencies, eventually landing my first Creative Director role at 23. I continued my path at agencies of that era such as Delta/Lowe, D’Arcy, Starcom, Grey, and later went on to build the creative department at Publicis Ecuador — a true life school for me.
For the next 15 years, Young & Rubicam became my professional home, where I led the creative direction. Then came the digital shift, which inspired me to take on a new challenge: joining as a partner and president of an independent agency with no pretensions or fancy names — Lajencia, built on the belief in effectiveness above all. Guided by that vision, we partnered with RedOne, a well-established agency with a strong presence in Argentina and Mexico, which led to the creation of Lajencia/RedOne EC.
These 30 years of experience have been a blend of strategy and creativity: I’m an advertiser with a Master’s in Marketing Management and a diploma in Strategic Planning. Additionally, my background as an advertising photographer gives me the ability to see the world through images.
My work has been recognized with awards such as Effie, Fiap, and Cóndor de Oro. As independents, we’ve also earned recognition at WINA, and most recently, Gold at the Luum Awards — proof that at Lajencia/RedOne, we continue creating campaigns that connect with people’s everyday lives.
Verena Eckloff
Creative Director Art | Grey, Germany
Verena is a creative professional based in Hamburg, Germany.
Her career started as intern at Jung von Matt and continued from there to thjnk, Saatchi & Saatchi and finally GREY Germany, where she is currently working as Creative Director.
Throughout her career she had the opportunity to work on brands such as McDonald’s, Disney, Nivea, Paulaner, HARIBO, Playmobil, Zeekr, Müller, BIONADE, ara shoes and WestLotto.
From food and beverages over automotive, movie industry to fashion and lottery, the thing she enjoys most about advertising is the diversity and her ability to shapeshift and dive into any brand.
Her projects “McDonald’s – WakeUp” Arches and “McDonald’s – Christmas Pickle” have been recognized by national and international award shows.
She fully believes that creativity can change the world – for good.
Delna Sethna
Chief Creative Officer | Ogilvy, Africa
Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy Africa
Mother. Filmmaker. Writer. Dog Parent. Coffee Addict. Compulsive introvert.
Delna’s advertising journey started some 20-odd years ago when she decided to take a “brief” hiatus from filmmaking at a hot shop called Ambience. Then it was on to Lowe, followed a decade later by JWT and Leo Burnett who offered to broaden her horizons somewhat literally with roles and responsibilities across the APAC region.
The learning curve at Saatchi & Saatchi was probably the steepest for her, where she led a merged entity as CCO. Winning them their first ever metals and taking them from not listed to no.6 in the Drum Agency rankings. The winning streak persisted at Redfuse. And today, continues to offer up new challenges at Ogilvy, Africa.
Creative highs for her have come in all manner of form, from Lions and Elephants to Pencils; in all manner of color from gold and glass to graphite and black. And in all manner of acronyms from Effie to the WARC Awards. Delna’s made the elite list of Women Who’ve Changed the Face of Media as well as the 50 Most Influential Women (2-years in a row!) But the 2 achievements she is proudest of is being a mentor to young women in the business; and of course, her son who is her pride and joy.
Alana Dunsmore
Communications & Awareness Manager | Cancer Support Switzerland
Alana Dunsmore is a Canadian citizen who has been living in Geneva for over 10 years with her family. For the past three years, she has served as the Communications and Awareness Manager for Cancer Support Switzerland, a non-profit organisation that provides vital English-language support services to individuals diagnosed with cancer and their loved ones.
She has successfully managed multiple high-impact projects, including developing strategic communications that led Cancer Support Switzerland’s recent rebranding from ESCA CancerSupport as the organisation expanded its services nationally. She also oversees their annual fundraiser Steps for Cancer Support, which provides the organisation with the vital funds needed to continue providing their support services free of charge. Her expertise in strategic communication encompasses digital marketing, social media strategy, and community engagement initiatives that amplify the organisation’s mission and reach.
Alana’s background in Environmental Design, combined with her deep understanding of purpose-driven communications, makes her uniquely positioned to evaluate creative works that promote social, environmental, and humanitarian causes. Her commitment to impactful storytelling and hands-on experience in the non-profit sector align perfectly with the Luum Awards’ mission to recognise and celebrate communications that serve as catalysts for positive global change.
Bandar Altuwairqi
CCO | Habbar, Saudi Arabia
Bandar Altowairqi, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Habbar. Bandar began his advertising career in 2003. With a little over two decades in the industry, Bandar has developed a keen understanding of how to create advertising that is meaningful and impactful.
He has been instrumental in making Habbar, one of the leading Advertising agencies in Saudi arabia.
Rohit Mani
Creative Marketing| Brand Strategy | The Womb, India
Rohit Mani is a seasoned brand and creative strategist with a diverse career that blends extensive agency experience as a creative and then a planner,, with client-side marketing experience at Google He is currently Strategy Lead at The Womb, where he heads strategy for the automotive and technology cluster. But he’d rather you know that he’s a proud dog dad with a passion for behavioral economics and playing around with AI tools, who’s also a big football, cinema and motorcycling fan.
Pedro Reis
Global Creative Director | Grey, Brazil
I’m a creative leader with 18+ years of experience, driven by a deep passion for bold ideas, craft, and storytelling. My journey has taken me through some of the biggest names in the Brazilian ad industry, like Africa Creative, AlmapBBDO, and DPZ, and I currently work as Global Creative Director at Grey. I’m proud to have created work for brands like AB InBev, Heinz, Havaianas, Mars, and Volkswagen, which has been recognized by the world’s top festivals, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, and Clio. More recently, I’ve been diving deep into artificial intelligence, applying it to projects for major clients and sharing my own visual experiments on my Instagram, @Neuralbite.
Robert Bartram
Founder and Storyteller | RB Comms, Switzerland
I bring over 25 years of immensely varied writing experience. I cut my teeth in UK politics at the turn of the millennium, culminating in my work as a Special Adviser to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing St, the heart of government.
Following a stint as a Parliamentary Officer at one of the UK’s leading charities, I worked as a broadcast journalist for the BBC in Westminster and at its west London HQ. I covered political and general news, both domestic and foreign.
I then put the skills I had learnt to good use in the field, working in the communications’ teams for two UN agencies in Lebanon. After this, I based myself in Geneva as the Communications Manager for a small NGO, before a spell as an Editor for MSF International and the Communications Lead for a third UN agency, the UN Environment Programme’s Finance Initiative.
In between, I also spent three years as a teacher in the south of England, an excellent training ground for developing wider communication skills.
Gastón Cánaves
Executive Creative Director | Dentsu Creative, Argentina
Arm Buddhaphol
Executive Creative Director | Accenture Song, Thailand
I’ve worked in the advertising industry for over 19 years with various categories of products including Automobile, Finance, Insurance, and FMCG. I started my career at TBWA Thailand, JWT Thailand and after having done a lot of work in the field of traditional advertising, I started to look for new challenges to explore in the digital realm. My decision landed me to join McCann/MRM Thailand and Adapter Digital which was the start of my journey into the world of digital advertising.
I am now a Executive Creative Director at Rabbit’s tale Part of Accenture Song where I have used all my knowledge and experiences into working on transforming our creative team to be able to create new and challenging works. It resulted in putting the agency into the industry’s spotlight through multiple award-winning campaigns in renowned award shows like Clio,NEW YORK FESTIVAL, ONE SHOW, SPIKES ASIA, and ADFEST, AWARD AWARDS and various local awards.
Mahesh Mahalingam
Chief of Staff | UNAIDS, Switzerland
Mahesh Mahalingam has worked on AIDS and public health issues for more than 30 years. He was appointed as Chief of Staff of UNAIDS in October 2023.
He has been with UNAIDS since 2000 and has held several senior leadership positions. Most recently, he was the Senior Adviser in the office of the Executive Director. Previously he served as Director for Communications and Global Advocacy. He has also served as Director in the Office of the UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Programme, the UNAIDS Country Director for Lesotho, as the Head of Communications and as a senior adviser on HIV prevention.
He started his career in advertising and broadcasting and revisited his roots as a youth activist and helped to shape India’s first AIDS education programme for young people in 1991. Since then, he has been involved in formulating policies and programmes on HIV prevention and treatment in many Asian and African countries and in shaping policies and public opinion about AIDS globally. He has extensive experience in designing programmes for sex workers, people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men and young people in Asia and Africa.
Before joining UNAIDS, he worked for India’s National AIDS Control Organization, the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Development Programme on AIDS-related issues. He was awarded the National Youth Award by India for his work on AIDS and has featured on TedX talks. He has contributed to and led on many of UNAIDS’ award-winning publications.
Jennifer Zierenberg
President & Creative Director | Wonderberg Studio, Puerto Rico
Jennifer Zierenberg holds a Master’s degree in Advertising from the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón and has more than 20 years of experience in the creative and advertising industry. She has led campaigns for major international and Puerto Rican brands, including Burger King, Procter & Gamble (Duracell, Gillette, Venus, Charmin, Always, Herbal Essences), Kellogg’s, Destilería Serrallés, Walgreens, Johnny Walker, Coors Light, and Doritos. Her career spans both the corporate and multinational agency world, where she has held creative leadership roles at Ogilvy, Leo Burnett, La Cruz & Associates, and currently at Wonderberg Studio.
Her work has been recognized at the highest levels of the global advertising industry, with awards at Cannes Lions, Effie Awards, Jade Festival, London International Awards, American Advertising Awards, Lüerzer’s Archive, Communication Arts, PHNX Awards, WINA Festival, and more. In 2025, Lüerzer’s Archive ranked her as the #19 illustrator in the world and #1 in Puerto Rico. Today she serves as President and Chief Creative Director of Wonderberg Studio, an independent Puerto Rican agency that has earned over 20 international recognitions in just three years and was nominated as Agency of the Year 2025 by Creativepool in London. She also shares her expertise as a professor at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, inspiring the next generation of creative professionals.
Sandi Preston
Chief Strategy Officer | Translation, USA
Juliana Romano
Content & Creative Director | Galeria.ag, Brazil
In parallel, I am also providing a short bio. Please do not hesitate to reach out should you require any further information.
I’ve always been in love with storytelling and the power of images. I began my career in film and audiovisual production, which opened the door to advertising—a field where I could channel my curiosity and push my creativity to its fullest. Today, I’m a Creative Director specializing in digital platforms—the most democratic and inventive medium, where stories can truly become culture. Along the way, I’ve had the privilege of shaping campaigns for some of Brazil’s most iconic brands, including Itaú and Havaianas.

































































































































































































































































































































