Dubai Lynx, MENA’s leading platform for creative excellence and effectiveness, has revealed its 2026 Jury line-up. The jury will convene in Dubai next year to set the benchmark for creativity across the region.
This year’s line-up brings together industry leaders from a broad range of markets, including first-time representation from Costa Rica, Uganda and Uzbekistan.
Independent agencies making their jury debut include AMPFY, ágora, Coldr, Golden Communication Group, Joan Creative, RUN Aotearoa and Zurda Agency. Leading global brands such as Philips, Stanley 1913, Wolverine Worldwide and BET Media Group also join the Juries for the first time, underscoring a growing commitment from brands to celebrate creativity’s role in driving business growth.
Elsewhere in the line-up, Shannon Watkins, CEO, WBA, is announced as the 2026 Creative Effectiveness and Creative Strategy Jury President. With a career spanning more than 20 years across leading global brands such as Nike, Aflac and The Coca Cola Company, Watkins brings expertise that will be pivotal in guiding the Jury to benchmark work that celebrates how creativity can transform brands and deliver business success.
Commenting on the jury line-up, Philip Thomas, Chairman, Dubai Lynx, said, “As MENA’s creative landscape continues to evolve, Dubai Lynx remains the benchmark for creative excellence. Our Jurors play a vital role in spotlighting ideas that resonate and deliver real business results. Thank you to this outstanding line-up for championing the transformative power of creativity.”
Ian Fairservice, Vice Chairman, Dubai Lynx, added, “We are excited to welcome a talented line-up of industry leaders to the Dubai Lynx Awards, including many first-time independent agencies, brands and markets. Their unique perspectives and expertise will ensure that the Awards continue to celebrate work that sets the standard for creative excellence. We look forward to welcoming them to Dubai next year and seeing the impactful work shaping the industry.”
The Dubai Lynx 2026 Juries have been named as:
Audio & Radio, Film, Print & Publishing
– Judy John | Global Chief Creative Officer, Edelman, Global
– Carlos Baer | Chief Content and Production Officer, VML, EMEA
– Diego Gueler Montero | Chief Creative Officer and Founder, Zurda Agency, Argentina
– James Feeler | Founder and Music Creative Director, Jamute, Brazil
– Kartik Smetacek | Chief Creative Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi, India
– Thandeka Gilbert | Creative Director, McCann Joburg, South Africa
– Whitney Yando | Group Creative Director, 72andSunny New York, USA
Brand Experience & Activation, Creative Commerce
– Marco Venturelli | President and Chief Creative Officer, Leo, Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Groupe France, and CEO and Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Conseil, Global
– Heloísa Santana | Executive President, AMPRO – Brazilian Association of Promotional Marketing, Brazil
– Pannarai Juanroong | Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy, Thailand
– Rakesh Menon | Chief Creative Officer, FCB Interface, India
– Richard McLeod | Global Chief Marketing Officer, Merrell, Wolverine Worldwide, Global
– Thomas Knüwer | Chief Creative Officer, Accenture Song, Central and Eastern Europe Creative
Effectiveness, Creative Strategy
– Shannon Watkins | CEO, WBA, Global
– Jonty Fisher | Chief Strategy and Integration Officer, Publicis Groupe Africa, South Africa
– Kara Yang | Managing Director, TBWA\Media Arts Lab, Greater China
– Minh San Vu | Executive Business Development Director cum Executive Strategic Planning Director, Hakuhodo International, Vietnam
– Nadine Müller-Eckel | Chief Strategy Officer and Partner, Anomaly Berlin GmbH, Global
– Rafik Belmesk | Partner and Head of Strategy, Courage, Canada
– Sanne Houterman | Strategy Director, Cheil Benelux, the Netherlands
Design, Industry Craft
– Josefina Casellas | VP Executive Creative Director & General Manager SS LATAM, R/GA, SS LATAM
– Eric Mununuzi | Creative Director, TBWA\Uganda, Uganda
– Hilary Badger | Executive Creative Director, Leo, Australia
– Jelena Fiskus | Creative Director and Co-Founder, Studio Sonda, Croatia
– Takayuki Niizawa | Managing Director, Landor Tokyo and Creative Lead, WPP, Japan
– Temur Sadi | CEO, MA’NO Branding, Uzbekistan
– Tudor Cucu | Executive Creative Director Design, Serviceplan ZERO, Germany
Digital Craft, Social & Creator
– Yasuharu Sasaki | Global Chief Creative Officer, dentsu, Global
– Andrea Siqueira | Partner and Chief Creative Officer, AMPFY, Brazil
– Enoma Edevbaro | Head of Social, SEK, Finland
– Güldeniz Şeşen Bilginer | Executive Creative Director, Tribal Worldwide Istanbul, Turkey
– Jarek Carethers | Creative Innovation Lead, TikTok, USA
– Joao Flores | Chief Creative Officer, Monks, Singapore
– Pancho González | Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Inbrax, Chile
Direct, Outdoor
– Joji Jacob | Regional Chief Creative Officer, Havas, South East Asia and North Asia
– Eveliina Rantahalvari | Head of Marketing, Musti Group, Nordics and Baltics
– Kagiso Musi | Group Managing Director, Meta Media, Global
– Raymond Otene McKay | Chief Creative Director, RUN Aotearoa, Aotearoa New Zealand
– Sam Rowlands | Executive Creative Director, LePub Amsterdam, the Netherlands
– Thamakorn Ruchakityanon | Executive Creative Director, Sour Bangkok, Thailand
– Zachary Bautista | Partner, Group Creative Director, Rethink, Canada
Entertainment
– Laurence (‘Lolly’) Thomson | Joint Global Chief Creative Officer, M+C Saatchi Group, Global
– Chepe Antillón | Regional Chief Creative Director, Garnier BBDO, Global
– Lex Remalante | Global Associate Creative Director, Our LEGO Agency at The LEGO Group, Global
– Lulu Lu | Chief Creative Officer, VML, Taiwan
– Rani Vaz | Managing Partner and Executive Creative Producer, Supreme Music, USA
– Trevor Ndhlovu | Chief Executive, Bodega Partners, Global CEO, Capsule Studios Inc., and Chief Brand Officer, Amplify Africa, Global
Film Craft
– Zia Mandviwalla | Director, Finch, Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia
– Ana de Diego | Founder, Spark & Riot, USA
– Annie Lazarevski | Global Production Director, Havas Creative, Global
– Colin Foo | Creative Director and VFX Supervisor, thequietlab, Singapore
– Kelly Castilho | Film Director, Confeitaria Filmes, Brazil
– Mohamed Diaa | Executive Creative Director, Joan Creative, USA
– Sander Mölder | Executive Creative Director, Black Cat White Cat Music, Estonia
Healthcare
– Tash Beecher | Creative Director, Syneos Health, Global & EMEA
– Agustín Alba | Executive Creative Director, Dentsu Creative, Argentina
– Clay MacGuire | SVP, Creative Director, 21GRAMS, USA
– Dorelle Kulkarni | Managing Director, Havas Life Mumbai Pvt Ltd, India
– Jon Haywood | Senior Design Strategist and Choice Engineer, Philips, Global
Media
– Chrissie Hanson | CEO, OMD, USA
– Dawn Rowlands | CEO, dentsu, South Africa
– Elias Betinakis | Chief Strategy Officer, WPP Media,
– Sweden Kristine Ong | Media CEO, Publicis Media, Malaysia
– Sham Islam | Executive VP and Group Managing Director, Global Clients, Havas Media Network, Global
– Tiyale Hayes | Executive VP, Marketing and Audience Development, BET Media Group, USA
PR
– Lerato Songelwa | Managing Director: South Africa, Burson, South Africa
– Erica Samadani | VP Communications and PR, Stanley 1913, Global
– Fábio Santos | CEO, CDN, Brazil
– Huong Nguyen | CEO, Golden Communication Group, Vietnam
– James Wright | Global CEO, Havas Red, Global Chair, Havas PR Network, and Group CEO, Havas ANZ
– Kamiqua Lake | CEO, Coldr, Global
– Rogelio Blanco | President and Partner, ágora, Mexico
