Cannes Lions will no longer have the role of Managing Director, according to an internal memo sent to staff by Philip Thomas, CEO of Ascential Events, parent company of the Cannes Lions.
Citing business difficulties this year and efforts for ensuring better cost effectiveness, Thomas announced that Jose Papa will no longer be the Managing Director of the Festival, as the position is being made redundant, and that he would be taking over day-to-day operations of the Cannes Lions.
“As you may be aware, trading was very challenging for Cannes Lions this year, which has meant that we have had to reassess our structure and cost base and make some difficult decisions. With this in mind we are reluctantly having to make the role of Managing Director, Cannes Lions redundant. This is particularly difficult for Jose Papa, who has led Lions through a truly challenging time, culminating in numerous positive comments about this year’s event, and the highest NPS research score in the Festival’s history. As a business person, however, he understands the reasons we have had to make this difficult decision. This means that I will be stepping in to run Cannes Lions day to day, starting from tomorrow,” Thomas wrote in his letter.
Thomas thanked Papa for his leadership through turbulent times for the festival, and for the platform he created, and announced better times to come citing “the coming year is full of possibilities and opportunities.”
The letter also included the statement by Jose Papa, who says: “These turbulent times made us stronger than ever. Our reset in 2018 showed again to the world why we matter. Why what you do matters. We are now set to continuing standing tall as the unwavering beacon for global creativity. Phil has dedicated all his heart to this business and you have in him someone that truly cares for what Cannes Lions stands for. Like I do.”
