New York: The One Club for Creativity has promoted Adam Izen to the newly created role of Chief Awards Officer, entrusting him with oversight of the nonprofit organization’s expansive global and regional awards portfolio.
Previously serving as Director of The One Show awards, Izen will now guide the strategic vision, integrity, and industry impact of all major programs under The One Club umbrella. His expanded remit includes executive oversight of The One Show, Art Directors Club (ADC) Annual Awards, Art Directors Club of Europe (ADC*E) Awards, ONE Asia Creative Awards, Type Directors Club (TDC) competition, Young Ones Student Awards, ADC Young Guns, and the Next Creative Leaders program.
The new leadership role has been established to unify and future-proof The One Club’s awards ecosystem, ensuring consistent standards, greater trust, and stronger cultural relevance at a time when the definition of creativity continues to evolve.
In his new capacity, Izen will focus on aligning brand standards across programs, modernising award structures and categories, and strengthening the global participation framework while upholding the organisation’s long-standing benchmarks of excellence. He will also explore new formats and recognition models that extend beyond traditional award cycles.
The One Club CEO Kevin Swanepoel said that beyond governance and judging, Izen will play a critical role in reshaping how the awards are presented to the world.
“Adam will ensure they function not only as competitions, but as powerful cultural platforms that amplify creativity, elevate creative voices, and generate lasting value for the industry,” Swanepoel said. “He has a proven record of success in growing club membership and The One Show, and we look forward to him successfully bringing his strategic vision to the benefit of all of our global and regional shows.”
“As our industry continues to evolve, recognizing the ingenuity, craft, and effectiveness of human-born creativity has never been more essential,” said Izen. “I’m honored to work alongside the dedicated teams across The One Club’s competitions to further strengthen our standards and elevate our role as the foremost authority in celebrating creative excellence.”
Izen joined The One Club in 2022 as Membership Director, where he led growth across corporate and individual memberships. Prior to that, he served as Vice President at Brand Assembly.
The One Club for Creativity, home to prestigious initiatives including The One Show, ADC Annual Awards, ADC*E Awards, ONE Asia Creative Awards, Type Directors Club competition, ADC Young Guns, Young Ones Student Awards, Next Creative Leaders, ONE School, ONE Creator Lab, the Where Are All The Black People conference and career fair, Portfolio Night, and Creative Week, is a leading global nonprofit dedicated to advancing the creative industry. Entry revenues from its awards programs are reinvested into initiatives that promote access, education, upskilling, reskilling, and career advancement for creative professionals worldwide.
