Two young Australian creatives, Rebecca Morriss, creative director at DDB Group Melbourne, and Phoebe Sloane, creative director at Bullfrog in Melbourne, are among the 36 winners from 17 countries in this year’s Next Creative Leaders, the free global competition recognising women and non-binary creatives on the rise.

Next Creative Leaders was created ten years ago in partnership with The 3% Movement as the industry’s only free portfolio competition that identifies, celebrates, and provides a global platform to talented women, non-binary, and trans creatives who are making their mark on the world with both their work and unique point of view on creative leadership that’s changing the industry for the better.

The winners by region are:

NCL winners, by region, are as follows:

APAC

• Irish Bautista, associate creative director, BBDO Guerrero, Manila
• Rebecca Morriss, creative director, DDB Group Melbourne
• Samyu Murali, creative, Talented, Bengaluru
• Phoebe Sloane, creative director, Bullfrog, Melbourne

Europe

• Maria Carrillo López, senior art director, DAVID Madrid
• Kiki Holshuijsen, senior Copywriter, GUT Madrid
• Dasha Ovechkina, associate creative director, Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam
• Laura Rice, senior art director, and Aoife McCleary, senior creative copywriter (team), Forsman & Bodenfors Dublin
• Dian Sofia, designer, AMV BBDO London
• Winona Wee, senior creative, Wieden+Kennedy London

Latin America

• Gabriela Barreira, senior art director, GUT São Paulo
• Paola Berman, associate creative director, Grey Mexico City
• Bella Eger, copywriter, Wieden+Kennedy São Paulo
• Vitória Ferrari, senior copywriter, Wieden+Kennedy São Paulo
• Luisa Gabaldi, associate creative director, TBWA\Media Arts Lab, São Paulo
• Camila Ordóñez Bozzi, associate creative director, DAVID Bogotá
• Sebas Pulla Mieles, art director, Paradais DDB, Guayaquil
• Mayara Ribeiro, creative director, Amply, São Paulo

Middle East & Africa

• Raya Abujaber, creative director, VML Amman
• Revati Anilkumar Patil, associate design director, Leo Burnett Dubai
• Divya Buddhdev, associate creative director, Ogilvy Africa, Nairobi
• Archna Singh, freelance creative director, Dubai
• Jasmin Vandersteen, copywriter, and Zainab Mitha, art director (team), Joe Public, Durban

North America

• Quynh Trần, copywriter, Goodby Silverstein & Partners San Francisco 
• Becky Brinkerhoff, senior copywriter, Portland
• Maria Camila Cabra Donoso, senior art director, VMLY&R Commerce New York
• Camilla Ciappina de Souza, associate creative director, McCann New York
• Hayley Hinkley, senior art director, Mirimar Los Angeles
• Rachel LeBlanc, associate creative director, Rethink Toronto
• Vicky Mo, senior art director, Wieden+Kennedy New York
• Alexa Padron, senior copywriter, Ogilvy New York
• Diana Perez, associate creative director, Mischief, New York
• Maddie Rosenberg, senior copywriter, Mirimar Los Angeles
• Macie Soler-Sala, associate creative director, Wieden+Kennedy New York

View the complete list of NCL 2025 winners here. The complete NCL 2025 shortlist can be viewed here. 

NCL 2025 entries were judged by a jury of 59 top creatives from 23 countries. An archive of past NCL winners, sorted by year using the dropdown menu, can be viewed here.

A special virtual NCL winners celebration will be held on November 6, and include a celebration of all winners and discussion with winners over the years. Find details and registration for the online event here.

“For more than two decades, The One Club has provided programming that helps improve the industry’s diversity and gender equality,” stated Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club. “Next Creative Leaders is one of our fast-growing programs because it identifies, elevates and gives voice to creatives around the world who are making a real difference, opening doors and inspiring the next generation.”

Eligible participants for NCL were those who are stepping into leadership roles, including copywriters, art directors, designers, ACDs, content creators, and recently promoted creative and design directors with less than one year in the role, and creative teams who are doing game-changing work. To make NCL as accessible as possible, there is no fee to enter.

They were judged on four-to-six pieces of creative work and information about how they, and their work, are pushing the industry forward and making a positive contribution in terms of diversity, mentoring, and advocacy.  

Each NCL winner receives a one-year complimentary individual membership with The One Club, with opportunities to serve on juries for one of The One Club’s awards programs, and receive a complimentary ticket to a One Club professional development conference (US$1,000+ value), panels, and mentorship events. 

Winners also have their work displayed on The One Club website and social channels, covered by media partners, and have potential opportunities to speak at NCL events. 

Branding for Next Creative Leaders 2025 was designed by Du Nieto (he/they), an NCL 2021 winner who serves as lead designer at Revolut, and independent creative at dadada.work. Font for the branding, Romie Light Italic, was donated by Margot Lévêque Studio, based in New York.