Cannes Lions has announced the cohort for the 2026 See It Be It talent programme, designed to accelerate the careers of women and non-binary talent. The 2026 cohort selected for this unique learning and development programme includes 20 creatives from 15 markets, with Serbia and South Korea being represented for the first time.
Taking place at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, between 22 and 26 June 2026, the programme includes mentorship opportunities and private masterclasses with industry leaders, as well as backstage access and sessions tailored to each participant’s career goals.
The cohort will be supported by Alumni Tutors Leena Gupta, Creative & Founding Member, Talented Agency, India, and Natasha Lashly, Founder & ECD, Piña Colada, Venezuela.
Commenting on her appointment, Lashly said: “The week I came back from Cannes, I wrote a little “moonshot” in my notebook: come back one day as a SIBI Tutor. This programme has a way of changing you. You arrive for the professional growth, but you leave with something deeper: confidence, clarity, and a global sisterhood. Being a tutor now feels like the most beautiful full-circle moment. My role is simple: hold the space, share the sunshine, and remind every brilliant woman and non-binary creative that they truly belong here.”
Gupta added: “Being part of See It Be It 2025 shifted something fundamental in me. It reminded me that the right room can change the trajectory of a career. Coming back as a Tutor feels like a full-circle moment. I’m excited to hold space for twenty extraordinary women as they question bigger, speak louder, and build braver. If SIBI 2025 taught me anything, it’s that when women see what’s possible, they don’t just rise; they smash the ceiling.”
The 2026 cohort are named as follows:
Aidovhioghie Anani | Deputy Creative Director, X3M Ideas, Nigeria
Alba Abelló Balmes | Senior Creative, Twitch, UK
Beatriz Fiori | Senior Copywriter, GUT São Paulo, Brazil
Dana Buckhorn | Creative Director, Copywriter, Mischief @ No Fixed Address, USA
Eugene Park | Creative Excellence Lead, CJ Cheiljedang, South Korea
Farah El Beaini | Group Account Director, Burson, Lebanon / UAE
Haylie Craig | Global Associate Creative Director, LEGO Group, Denmark (they/them)
Hilary Ngan Kee | Head of Strategy, Motion Sickness, Aotearoa New Zealand
Holly Attrill | Senior Creative, Wieden+Kennedy London, UK
Kristen Gaerlan | Creative Director, Weber Shandwick, USA
Liesl Lategan – Kyriakou | Founder/Executive Producer, Spitfire Films, South Africa
Liyana Hidhir | Copywriter, Independent, Singapore
Micaelle Lages | Creative Director & Co-Founder, thecode, Brazil
Natalie Narh | Co-Founder & CEO, NewComma, Ghana
Padcha Tanviruch | Independent Creative Director, Thailand
Priscila Ramos de Sousa | Associate Creative Director, Area 23, USA
Shreya Arora | Creative Strategy, Ultrahuman, India
Shyaire Ganglani | Associate Creative Director (Copywriter), Leo Australia, Australia
Svetlana Ćopić | Founder & Creative Director, No Agency, Serbia
Valentina Bezzolo Briceño | Senior Creative Copywriter, DDB Chile, Chile
Frank Starling, Chief DEI Officer, LIONS, said: “The See It Be It programme is a cornerstone initiative at Cannes Lions, embodying our unwavering commitment to elevating underrepresented talent in the creative industry. This year, the programme welcomes a dynamic cohort representing a broad range of creative disciplines and global markets. Their unique perspectives and experiences will undoubtedly enrich our SIBI community – a network dedicated to fostering career development and paving the way forward for women and non-binary talent in the industry. Congratulations to the 2026 cohort, we look forward to welcoming you at the Festival.”
Since its inception in 2014, more than 150 women and non-binary talent from 44 markets have participated in the programme. Designed to combat the gender imbalance of creative directors in the industry, the programme has expanded to include See It Be It Connect events. From Kenya to India, the Connect events offer regional touchpoints that extend the impact of the programme year-round, helping foster a global community set on achieving real change. This year, the programme further extended into the APAC region with See It Be It Connects: Spikes Asia running in Singapore earlier this month.
See It Be It is open to all women and non-binary people*. For any enquiries, please get in touch at [email protected]. Further information on this year’s Festival can be found at canneslions.com
ENDS
*For the avoidance of doubt, this includes both cis and trans women and all non-binary people, regardless of presentation or sex assigned at birth.
Contacts:
Camilla Lambert
PR Director
LIONS
Tash Naidoo
Senior PR Manager
LIONS
Indiana Edwards
PR Coordinator
LIONS
Press Portal:
press.canneslions.com
Awards enquiries:
Assets:
Headshots of the cohort can be found here.
Notes to editors:
About LIONS
LIONS is the global platform that champions creativity and marketing effectiveness for growth. We help businesses grow through creative marketing that matters.
We know that creativity can and should be applied across the full marketing mix. Creativity is an impactful business driver – and when it’s integrated with a culture of effectiveness, it’s a competitive advantage.
Backed by over 150 years of experience and evidence, Cannes Lions, WARC, Effie, Contagious and Acuity – provides the global marketing industry with the definitive benchmarks, intelligence, training and tailored advice needed to grow.
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