The 73rd edition of the annual Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity takes place in Cannes France from 22 – 26 June 2026. The internationally celebrated festival of creativity has announced its jury for 2026, which includes a group of talented and celebrated South African creatives and marketers on various panels.
“As the official Cannes Lions Festival Representative in South Africa, we are delighted with the inclusion of this prestigious list of industry heavyweights, 18 in total, as a global acknowledgement and celebration of the very high standard of local talent,” says Lynne Wylie, chief marketing officer of Ster-Kinekor.
The Lions Awards sit at the heart of the festival, making it imperative to preserve and uphold the standard of judging to ensure the value of the awards. One of the major factors that contributes to the prestige and integrity of the awards is the quality of the Juries, and the quality of the discussions around the awarding of the Lions. It is essential that the work continues to be judged by a stellar cast of world-class candidates – the very best creative talent that sets Cannes judging apart.
This year’s Juries reflect the growing diversity of voices shaping the global creative industry, with fresh perspectives from independent agencies and brands across an array of sectors. “As such, the strong representation of South African judges in this year’s festival is very welcome, ensuring our voices are heard as part of the panel of global experts who set the global benchmark for creative excellence,” comments Wylie.
The Cannes Lions Awarding Jury Members from South Africa are:
Audio & Radio: Jabulani Sigege, group executive creative director of Machine_
Creative Business Transformation – Jury President: Gugu Mthembu, chief marketing officer of Telkom
Creative Data: Veli Ngubane, chief creative officer of Avatar
Creative Effectiveness: Mpume Ngobese, managing director of Joe Public
Creative Strategy: Neo Makhele, chief strategy officer of Ogilvy South Africa
Design: Simone Rossum, executive creative director of SHIFT
Digital Craft: Stephanie Mazingi, creative managing director of Havas South Africa
Direct: Khethiwe Makhubo, creative group head of McCann Joburg
Entertainment Lions for Gaming: Danni Pinch, executive creative director of Accenture Song
Entertainment Lions for Music: Phiona Okumu, head of music (sub-Saharan Africa) of Spotify
Glass: The Lion for Change: Suhana Gordhan, chief creative officer and founder of LoveSong
Industry Craft: Liana Liebenberg, national creative partner of Design Bridge & Partners
Media: Dashni Vilakazi, managing director of The MediaShop
Pharma: Mandi Fine, CEO and Founder of FINE
Print & Publishing: Nkgabiseng Motau, co-founder and chief creative officer, Think Creative Africa
Social & Creator: Khangelani Dziba, brand communications consultant, Independent
Sustainable Development Goals: Bogosi Motshegwa, founder, CEO, and chief strategy officer of Thinkerneur
Dan Wieden Titanium: Tseliso Rangaka, chief creative officer of Accenture Song
These South African jury members will join their global counterparts at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in Cannes this June to set the standard for the year ahead by awarding the most creative and impactful work.
Commenting on this year’s line-up, 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.”
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Author: Janet de Kretser from aHead PR on behalf of Ster-Kinekor Theatres.
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