London: The D&AD Awards 2025 jury has been revealed, and eight creative luminaries from India have secured a spot among the esteemed panel of over 300 global experts. The 63rd edition of the prestigious D&AD Awards will take place from May 18 to 22, 2025, at County Hall and the Southbank Centre in London.
Celebrating Creative Excellence
D&AD Awards, recognized as one of the most coveted accolades in the global creative industry, honors exceptional work across design, advertising, film, and entertainment. Over four days of live judging, leading creative professionals will evaluate entries based on their impact on commercial, economic, social, and cultural success.
Representing India in this global forum are:
- Sachin Kamble, CCO, Leo Burnett India – Judge for Art Direction
- Rahul Mathew, CCO, DDB Mudra Group – Judge for Digital Marketing
- Neville Shah, CCO, FCB Kinnect – Judge for Digital Design
- Neha Tulsian, Founder & ECD, NH1Design – Jury President for Packaging Design
- Nilima Eriyat, Executive Producer, Studio Eeksaurus – Judge for Sound Design & Use of Music
- Vaishnavi Murthy, Creative Type Director, Monotype – Jury President for Type Design & Lettering
- Kranti Sarma, SVP – Creative Delivery & Production Operations, MPC India – Judge for Visual Effects
- Pooja Manek, Founding Member & Creative Director, Talented Agency – Judge for Writing for Advertising
In addition to the above Kalpesh Patankar, Chief Creative Officer at Leo Burnett UAE was also named as Jury President.
A Global Gathering of Creative Leaders
The D&AD Awards Ceremony, set to take place on May 22, will mark the grand finale of the D&AD Festival. The festival, running from May 21-22, will feature insights from 300+ global creative leaders, 80+ speakers, panel discussions, keynotes, and jury insights, offering a deep dive into the most groundbreaking creative work of the year.
The jury panels will be led by industry heavyweights such as Pelle Sjoenell (Droga5), Pum Lefebure (Design Army), Gail Bichler (The New York Times Magazine), and Kalpesh Patankar (Leo Burnett), among others.
New Categories & Iconic Pencils
This year, D&AD has introduced new award categories, including Brand Identity Refresh, New Brand Identity, and Creator Content, recognizing the evolving landscape of brand storytelling. These will be judged by Frederico Gelli (Tátil), Johanna Roca (Accept & Proceed), and Karl Haddad (TikTok).
Winning work will be honored with the prestigious D&AD Pencils—from Wood Pencils (best of the year) to the coveted Black Pencil, awarded only to groundbreaking creative excellence.
Beyond recognition, D&AD Awards serve a larger purpose—supporting educational programs that bridge the gap between industry and academia. As Donal Keenan, COO at D&AD, states: “Judging the D&AD Awards is a massive honor and responsibility. Entries to these awards help fund learning initiatives that empower the next generation of creative professionals.”
Entries for the D&AD Awards 2025 are now open, with full details on categories, judging criteria, and deadlines available on the D&AD website. Tickets for the D&AD Festival 2025 are also on sale, with a 30% early bird discount available until February 24, 2025.
