The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has revealed three additional Jury Presidents for the 2026 Awards, bringing together leading voices from sport, film production and healthcare communications. Their appointments further expand the international leadership team that will evaluate the work submitted to this year’s festival, taking place from 22 to 26 June in Cannes.
Representing three distinct creative disciplines, the newly announced presidents include Shannon Washington, Chief Creative Officer and Managing Partner at 11 Ounces for Entertainment Lions for Sport, Pip Smart, Executive Producer and Partner at Revolver for Film Craft, and Tracey Brader, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Remedy Edge for Pharma.
Together, their backgrounds reflect the increasingly broad definition of creativity that the festival continues to champion. From culturally driven storytelling in sport and high end cinematic craft to behaviour changing healthcare communications, the three categories represent areas where creative excellence is not only about aesthetics but also about impact.
Shannon Washington will lead the jury for Entertainment Lions for Sport, a category that recognises work created at the intersection of sport, culture and brand storytelling. Washington has built a reputation as one of the most influential creative leaders working in sports marketing today, shaping platforms that place athletes and communities at the centre of brand narratives.
She highlighted the unique cultural power of sport, describing it as one of the last truly communal experiences that still brings audiences together at scale. In that context, she emphasised that the most compelling work will be the kind that understands the culture around sport, not just the spectacle of the game itself. “Globally, sport is one of the last truly communal experiences we have, and the creative work that lives inside it has the power to shift culture, challenge assumptions, and move people in ways that transcend the game itself,” Washington said.
Her appointment also comes at a moment when the festival is expanding its focus on the sports economy, with the launch of LIONS Sport, a new forum dedicated to the intersection of sport, creativity and business.
In the Film Craft category, the jury will be chaired by Pip Smart, Executive Producer and Partner at the acclaimed Australian production company Revolver. The company has been recognised globally for its cinematic storytelling and most recently received the prestigious Palme d’Or at Cannes Lions.
Smart has overseen numerous internationally awarded productions and is widely respected for her role in developing directors and raising production standards across the Asia Pacific region. Her career reflects a deep commitment to the craft of filmmaking, an area that remains central to advertising’s creative identity even as the industry continues to evolve across platforms and formats.
“To sit in a room with a carefully curated jury of peers as they see and debate work that truly represents the best in the world is something I’m proud to do,” she said.
The third appointment, Tracey Brader, will preside over the Pharma jury. As Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Remedy Edge, Brader has spent her career helping healthcare brands navigate the complex intersection of science, regulation and communication.
Her work focuses on translating highly technical medical information into communications that resonate with both professionals and patients. In a category where regulatory frameworks are often strict and creative freedom limited, the challenge lies in developing ideas that still drive meaningful behavioural change.
Brader noted that the pressure on marketing budgets and the rise of AI driven production tools are reshaping the creative landscape, but that the fundamental measure of great work remains unchanged. “Being asked to be Jury President for Pharma is an honour and an opportunity to celebrate work that genuinely innovates, truly engages and changes behaviour,” she said.
With the 2026 Awards programme now fully underway, the festival has confirmed that submissions remain open until Thursday 9 April. Each year the juries assembled by Cannes Lions review thousands of entries from around the world, ultimately setting the benchmark for creative excellence across the global communications industry.
