After previously announcing the jury presidents and the locations of the global sessions, Gerety Awards has now confirmed the full lineup of the Global Executive Jury for 2026. More than 260 experts from 50 countries will participate in the judging process, which will take place across 15 in-person jury sessions worldwide.
As in previous years, the awards bring together a broad spectrum of professionals from the communications industry – from creatives and strategists to producers, filmmakers, brand leaders and social media specialists. Such a jury structure reflects the philosophy on which Gerety Awards were founded: diverse perspectives working together to define standards of creative excellence.
Fifteen cities as a global network of creative perspectives
Executive judging sessions will take place in London, Auckland, Toronto, New York, Paris, Stockholm, Hong Kong, Dubai, Madrid, Milan, Mexico City, Bangkok, Los Angeles, Berlin and São Paulo.
Each of these locations brings together regional experts who understand how creative work resonates within local cultural and market contexts, while collectively contributing to the global benchmark of creative excellence.
Val Carlson, Global Chief Creative Officer at Critical Mass and Jury President for Los Angeles, emphasized the importance of spaces that awards such as Gerety Awards create for ideas that stand out at a time when the industry is undergoing transformation.
“At Critical Mass, our core principle is EQUAL – not as a slogan, but as a commitment: equal voice, equal opportunities and equal value given to ideas and people who might otherwise be overlooked. Our industry is currently under pressure – budgets are shrinking, there are fewer shoots, and the system is being forced to rethink itself. When resources tighten, the temptation is to play it safe, but that is exactly when bold, instinct-driven creativity matters most. The ideas that cut through aren’t necessarily louder or more expensive – they are honest, human and more connected to the audience.”
A similar perspective was highlighted by Andrea Siqueira, CCO and partner at AMPFY and Jury President for São Paulo.
“Last year marked the first time that machine-generated text on the internet surpassed content created by humans. That is why celebrating creativity is more important today than ever. Being part of Gerety Awards, and especially leading one of its juries, is both a great honour and a great responsibility to our creative industry.”
A jury reflecting the breadth of the industry
More than 260 experts from 50 countries will take part in the judging process, with members of the executive jury representing agencies, brands, production companies and technology businesses.
Among the prominent names are Cass Zawadowski, Global ECD at Lyft, Dilma Campos, CEO at Nossa Praia, Juanita Rodriguez Arango, CEO of Latam Omnicom Production, Lex Remalante, Global Associate Creative Director at The LEGO Group, Sandrine Plasseraud, Founder and CEO of Studio Sérendipité, Irene Kugelmann, CCO at BBDO Berlin, Simone Tam, Group CEO at Dentsu Hong Kong, Carmen Mendez, CMO at Coca-Cola Mexico, Naho Manabe, Group Creative Director at Publicis Japan, and Denise Orman, Founder and CEO of Zurda.
The jury also includes Bex Kelly, Executive Producer at FINCH company, Damisa Ongsiriwattana, CCO at Sour Bangkok, Meyvi Wedelia from GUT Singapore, Gema Arias, Chief Strategy Officer at Kitchen, Maria Lashari, Founder and Creative Director of 1000WORLDS, Mirna Eskarous, Regional Creative Director at BURSON UAE, Natalie Arnett, Global Partner and Executive Producer at Riff Raff Films, and Mihae Mukaida, SVP Executive Director of Innovation Production at McCann NY.
Gerety as a platform for conversations about creativity
Alongside the judging sessions, Gerety Awards will host a series of industry events and talks in host cities such as London, New York, Berlin, Los Angeles and Paris, creating space for dialogue, exchange of ideas and discussions about the trends shaping contemporary creativity.
Submissions for the 2026 edition are open across all categories, including the newly introduced Moments Cut category, which recognises work that captures the cultural moments shaping our world today.
The Early Bird deadline is March 13, and eligible entries must have been broadcast, published or released in a commercial environment with client approval between January 1, 2025 and the final entry deadline. Work is evaluated based on two core criteria: the originality of the creative idea and the quality of its execution.
More information is available on the official Gerety Awards website.
