Mumbai: India has once again cemented its position as a key creative powerhouse on the global stage, with a strong cohort of industry leaders selected as Jury members for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026, scheduled to take place from June 22 to 26 in Cannes, France.
The Indian contingent reflects a diverse mix of agency leaders, brand custodians, and creative strategists spanning multiple disciplines—from media and design to entertainment and health—underscoring the country’s growing influence in shaping global creative benchmarks.
Strong Representation Across Categories
Among the prominent Indian names on this year’s Jury line-up is Anupriya Acharya, CEO of Publicis Groupe, South Asia, who will serve on the Creative Data Jury, bringing deep expertise in data-driven marketing and consumer insights.
Joining her is Dheeraj Sinha, CEO of McCann Worldgroup India, who has been appointed to the Creative Strategy Jury, reflecting India’s growing strength in strategic brand thinking.
In the Creative Business Transformation category, Rakesh Menon, Chief Creative Experience Officer at Ulka, will contribute his perspective on integrating creativity with business outcomes.
India’s design leadership is represented by Lulu Raghavan, President – APAC at Landor, who joins the Design Jury, highlighting India’s increasing influence in brand and experience design across the region.
Creative and Digital Excellence
On the Digital Craft Jury, Gurbaksh Singh, Chief Creative Officer and Chief Innovation Officer at Dentsu Creative India, will bring his expertise in innovation-led storytelling.
India’s creative leadership is further reflected through Kainaz Karmakar, Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy India, who joins the Health & Wellness Jury, a category that continues to gain prominence globally.
In the Print & Publishing category, Dhruv Warrior, Executive Creative Director at VML India, has been selected, reinforcing India’s legacy in impactful storytelling formats.
Media, Entertainment and Culture
India’s growing clout in media is evident with Anisha Iyer, CEO of OMD India, serving on the Media Jury, reflecting the country’s evolving media ecosystem and strategic planning capabilities.
In the entertainment and cultural space, Prachi Narayan joins the Entertainment Jury, while Amitesh Rao has been named to the Entertainment Lions for Gaming Jury.
Music and cultural storytelling see representation from Prerna Suri and Subhajit Mukherjee, both part of the Entertainment Lions for Music Jury.
Expanding into Sports, Craft and Outdoor
India’s presence also extends into emerging and specialist categories. Binda Dey, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Knight Riders Sports, will serve on the Entertainment Lions for Sport Jury, highlighting India’s growing intersection of sports and entertainment.
In Outdoor, Pooja Manek represents India’s independent agency ecosystem, bringing a fresh perspective to the category.
Additionally, Gautam Wadher, an Indian-origin creative leader serving as Chief Creative Officer at Memac Ogilvy, UAE, joins the Audio & Radio Jury, reflecting the global footprint of Indian talent.
A Growing Global Creative Force
The breadth and diversity of India’s representation at Cannes Lions 2026 signals the country’s continued rise as a global creative and strategic hub. From data and design to entertainment and media, Indian leaders are playing a pivotal role in shaping how creativity drives business outcomes worldwide.
As the global industry converges in Cannes this June, the Indian Jury members are set to not only evaluate the world’s best work but also influence the future direction of creativity—reinforcing India’s position at the forefront of the global marketing and advertising landscape.
