Countdown to Cannes Lions 2010: Outdoor, Radio and Media jury presidents announced

The 57th Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, the world’s most coveted awards and largest celebration of creativity in communications, has announced three top industry leaders who will chair three of the awards categories at next year’s global event.

Radio President – Paul Lavoie, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, TAXI

Media President – Laura Desmond, Global Chief Executive Officer, Starcom MediaVest Group

Outdoor President – Tay Guan Hin, Regional Executive Creative Director, JWT Asia

“These three powerful individuals are, as you would expect, worldleaders,” says Australia’s Terry Savage, Festival Chairman. “Highlyrespected professionals, whose work and skills are admired around theglobe. We are truly honoured to welcome them as Cannes Lions jurypresidents.”

Laura Desmond, appointed Chief Executive Officer,Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) in June 2008, is one of the youngest CEOsto lead a global marketing services company, commanding a staff of6,000 team members across 110 offices around the world and partneringwith leading brands including Nintendo, Oracle, Procter & Gamble,Samsung and Walmart.

Under her leadership, SMG has been awardednumerous local, regional and global industry accolades including tenCannes Lions in 2009. Laura was named one of the world’s most powerfulwomen by Forbes (2008) and Ad Woman of the Year (Advertising Women ofNew York 2009).

Commenting on her appointment, Laura Desmondsaid, “It is an honor to be a part of one of the most respected globalfestivals and celebrate with my fellow jury members the world’s bestcommunications and media work. I anticipate we will see an exciting newbreed of innovative, disruptive and provocative work reflective of thedynamism of the new age media terrain.”

Tay Guan Hin, RegionalExecutive Creative Director of JWT Asia, joined JWT in 2005 and was thefirst South East Asian creative director to be elected to the JWTWorldwide Creative Council. Under Guan’s leadership, JWT Manila andJakarta created history by bringing home The Philippines’ first GoldCannes Lion and Indonesia’s first Cannes Silver Lion. Spikes Asia alsonamed JWT as Network of the Year 2009. Guan currently also holds theposition of Global ECD of Lux (Unilever).

His awards includeGolds at Cannes Lions, D&AD, Gold Pencils in The One Show, Clios,AdFest, AWARD and Spikes. Guan has judged and chaired at many majorawards and was the first Asian to serve as D&AD’s Foreman in theposter category.

“The outdoor landscape is changing veryrapidly. Even a traditional billboard is always evolving. I’m extremelycurious to see how the future will transform the outdoor medium. It’sindeed exciting to be given this opportunity to lead in Cannes. Myfocus is to filter and ensure that the most innovative Outdoor will berewarded,” says Tay Guan Hin.

Paul Lavoie co-founded TAXI in1992, successfully combining the disciplines of advertising, digitaland design. Growing into seven offices in Canada, the U.S., and Europe,and with an expanded product offering, TAXI remains independent andcommitted to its original vision. Marketing Magazine, in August 2008,named Lavoie one of the 10 most influential pioneers in Canadianmarketing over the past century. In 2006, he was listed by Creativitymagazine among the 50 most influential creative minds of the lasttwenty years. That year, he also became the youngest inductee of theCanadian Marketing Hall of Legends.

“I’m looking forward toChairing the 2010 Cannes Lions Radio jury. Radio is the ultimate testof a copywriter’s craft. In our digital world we are served imagery andvisual effects with greater and greater realism, yet radio still rivalswith the power to stimulate our imagination and make those experiencespersonal and intimate. Winning a Radio Lion is an accolade like noother; its merit is all idea and no artifice,” says Paul Lavoie on hisrole as Radio Jury President.