Cannes Lions has announced the 20 participants who will be taking part in this year’s See It Be It program. This is five more participants than on previous years.
Australians on the lineup include regular Gruen panellist and Leo Burnett Sydney’s senior copywriter Karen Ferry, as well as McCann’s Paris-based art director Lauren Haberfield Translation’s US-based art director Erica Stevens.
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Music streaming service Spotify is a partner of the program this year.
Now in its fifth year, the initiative gives women, who face diversity challenges in the industry, access to high-profile leaders, executive coaching and mentoring opportunities with senior figures.
Cannes Lions’s executive lead for See It Be It, Louise Benson, said: “This initiative was launched to address the issue of gender disparity in the senior levels of the creative industry. While there has been some progress, the dial is moving far too slowly. By supporting exceptional female talent, we believe we’ll help shift the balance. Over the years of running See It Be It, we have been absolutely blown away by the power of the community of women that have been involved with the program – many have gone on to become advocates for change and role models for the next generation.”
As special guests of Cannes Lions, the participants receive a curated program of events including executive training, creative master classes, an insider tour of a Cannes Lions jury room, exclusive networking opportunities and mentoring from some of the most successful leaders in the global branded communications industry. Travel, accommodation and a Complete Festival pass are also included for a career-changing experience.
This year’s See It Be It ambassador is R/GA chief creative officer Chloe Gottlieb. She will lead the group onsite and provide counsel and guidance for the 20 women.
Cannes Lions 2018 See It Be It program participants (all pictured ab0ve):
Sally Alzaza, Senior Art Director, J. Walter Thompson MEA, Lebanon
Rita Anyango, Creative Director, Project Manager, Crossroads Digital Multimedia, Uganda
Lama Bawadi, Senior Copywriter, Leo Burnett Beirut, Lebanon
Dominique Curtis, Senior Copywriter, R/GA Austin, USA
Deniz Dülgeroğlu, Copywriter, Rafineri Ad Agency, Turkey
Karen Ferry, Senior Copywriter, Leo Burnett Sydney, Australia
Jessica Gomes, Digital Copywriter, Lapis Raro, Brazil
Lauren Haberfield, Art Director, McCann Paris, France
Leah Juaymah Mababangloob, Senior Art Director, LEGO System A/S, Denmark
Maribel Maneiro, Creative Director from Agency Raya, Chile
Melanie Matlock, Copywriter, J. Walter Thompson Atlanta, USA
Harshada Menon, Associate Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai, India
Prajakta More, Conceptual Creative, Geometry Global, Dubai, UAE
Lydia Pang, Creative Director, Refinery29, USA
Meghan Patenaude, Art Supervisor, McCann Health New York, USA
Alexandra Sobiecki, Associate Creative Director, Spotify, USA
Gayatri Sriram, Digital Creative Head – Delhi, FCBUlka, India
Erica Stevens, Senior Art Director, Translation, USA
Alexandra Vaca, Associate Creative Director, Commonwealth//McCann, Ecuador
Simina Zidaru, Senior Copywriter, MullenLowe, Romania