“We’re incredibly proud to have such a powerful mix of individuals who know what creative excellence looks like, because they have it in abundance themselves.” [Philip Thomas, chief executive officer, Lions Festivals]

“It’s not easy to win a Lion. On average our juries will award just 3% of more than 40,000 entries. They’re looking for unique work that is creatively exceptional and challenges the norm. What we look for in our presidents is people that have been in this 3% time and time again – it’s a significant responsibility leading a Cannes Lions jury,” Thomas added.

Emad Tahtouh had only been at Finch for a year when Pedigree Adoption Drive’s donation glasses (37 Degrees) put Finch and Colenso BBDO in the spotlight. A year later, The Most Powerful Arm won Tahtouh, Finch and Havas a D&AD Black Pencil (among other awards). Tahtouh is one of seventeen jury presidents and 400 judges will determine which work goes into the 3% and what doesn’t.

Those presidents are:

Creative Effectiveness Lions:

Andrew Robertson, chief executive officer, BBDO, global

Creative Data Lions:

Tash Whitmey, group chief executive officer, Havas helia, global

Cyber Lions:

Chloe Gottlieb, senior vice presidnet, executive creative director, R/GA, global

Design Lions:

Tristan Macherel, executive creative director, Landor, France

Digital Craft Lions:

Wesley ter Haar, founder & chief operations officer, MediaMonks, The Netherlands

Direct Lions:

Mark Tutssel, global chief creative officer, Leo Burnett Worldwide / creative chairman, Publicis Communications, global

Entertainment Lions:

Jae Goodman, chief creative officer & co-head, CAA Marketing, USA

Entertainment Lions for Music:

Josh Rabinowitz, executive vice president/director of music, Grey Group, USA

Film Lions:

Joe Alexander, chief creative officer, The Martin Agency, USA

Film Craft Lions:

Laura Gregory, founder & chief executive officer, Great Guns, global

Glass Lion: The Lion for Change:

Madeline Di Nonno, chief executive officer, Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, global

Health & Wellness Lions:

Joshua Prince, president, The CDM Group, USA

Innovation Lions:

Emad Tahtouh, director, applied technology, Finch, Australia

Media Lions:

Nick Waters, chief executive officer Asia Pacific, Dentsu Aegis Network, Asia Pacific

Mobile Lions:

Malcolm Poynton, Global Chief Creative Officer, Cheil Worldwide, Global

Outdoor Lions:

Ricardo John, chief creative officer, J. Walter Thompson, Brazil

Pharma Lions:

Alexandra von Plato, group president, North America, Publicis Healthcare Communications Group, North America

PR Lions:

John Clinton, chair, Canada, North American head of creative and content, Edelman, North America

Print & Publishing Lions:

Joji Jacob, group executive creative director, DDB Group, Singapore

Product Design Lions:

Amina Horozic, lead industrial designer, fuseproject, USA

Promo & Activation Lions:

Rob Reilly, global creative chairman, McCann Worldgroup, Global

Radio Lions:

Tom Eymundson, chief executive officer, director, Pirate Group Inc., Canada

Titanium and Integrated Lions:

Sir John Hegarty, founder. creative, BBH, global

The 2016 Cannes Lions winners will be revealed during a series of six awards ceremonies which will take place during Cannes Lions Festival, which runs 18-25  June.