ADFEST has announced its first three creatives who will lead juries as Jury Presidents for the 2026 ADFEST Lotus Awards.
The first three ADFEST Lotus Awards Jury Presidents
- Theresa Ong, Head of Creative Shop at Meta, SEA & India, Jury President of Digital Lotus and Digital Craft Lotus
- Jim Ingram, Group Chief Creative and Co-Founder of Thinkerbell, Sydney, Jury President of Brand Experience Lotus, Commerce Lotus and Direct Lotus
- Michael Ahmadzadeh, Partner & Executive Producer, APAC & MENA at electriclime, Jury President of Film Craft Lotus and New Director Lotus
“The past year has demonstrated significant developments in the digital and social landscape in SEA, and I anticipate this year’s submissions will showcase further innovation and creativity,” said Ong.
“I look forward to recognising outstanding work that drives cultural impact and audience engagement.”
Jim Ingram added, “In my opinion, the judging process at ADFEST is one of the best judging experiences you can have. It’s extremely well organised, allows for complete and open discussion around the work, with plenty of time to assess it all properly as a panel. I’m particularly excited to be involved as Jury President of Brand Experience Lotus, Commerce Lotus and Direct Lotus because to me, these three disciplines are the ones that really matter – the experience a customer has with the brands, related directly to the brand itself, and work that ultimately helps create and amplify commerce. I’m looking forward to rewarding real work, for real brands, that really has a commercial impact. Not just creative, for creative sake. Oh, and Pad Kra Pao, I look forward to that too.”
Michael Ahmadzadeh said, “I’ve always admired ADFEST for the incredible culture it has built — it’s more than a festival; it’s a creative community. The organisers have done such a brilliant job of fostering an inclusive, collaborative spirit that champions regional talent and craft. I’m honoured to serve as Jury President, and I’ll be looking for work that’s bold, meaningful, and executed with intent.”
In March, ADFEST Lotus Awards will bring together seven creative leaders in Pattaya, Thailand, led by Grand Jury President Yasuharu Sasaki, Global Chief Creative Officer of dentsu. Sasaki will also serve as Jury President of Creative Strategy Lotus, Effective Lotus, INNOVA Lotus and Sustainable Lotus, and will be a keynote speaker. His appointment was announced last week.
