Cannes Lions invites Tara McKenty and Grace O’Brien to join the Cannes Lions juries

Executive Creative Director AKQA Australia Tara McKenty and Creative Director AKQA Amsterdam Grace O’Brien have been invited to the Innovation and the Sustainable Development Goals awarding juries.

The Innovation Lions celebrate ground-breaking technology and problem-solving ideas that turn imagination into impactful reality. The Sustainable Development Goals Lions celebrate initiatives that harness creativity and seek to impact the world positively.

Tara is a local and international creative community leader and brings over 16 years of creative industry experience across the APAC region, including a decade leading Google’s creative team across APAC. Her work has been celebrated globally, earning awards at all major festivals, including a coveted Gold for Creative Innovation at Cannes Lions. Tara has previously served on the Cannes Lions Innovation jury and is also the founder of D&AD RARE, a global initiative supporting underrepresented groups thriving within the creative industries.

Tara said: “Our world is in need of innovative, practical, accessible solutions that address the myriad of societal and consumer issues we are facing. I believe that creativity and technology, when applied ethically and used for good, can offer optimism for everyone. I am convinced that the necessity for substantive innovation is paramount at this juncture. It is an honour to resume the role of judging innovation, and I eagerly anticipate observing the innovative contributions that our industry has produced this year.”

Beyond Grace’s specialty in branding and storytelling, Grace is the Chief Product Officer and co-founder of Pink Chip. The Pink Chip US Index, launched in partnership with UN Women NL and DEGIRO, attracted over 40,000 investors to publicly listed, women-led companies and has won numerous awards including Gold in Glass: The Lion for Change. Grace’s passions extend beyond brand building and fintech to encompass climate action and space technology. She previously served as a Communications Coordinator for Generation Climate Europe and a member of the Space Generation Advisory Council of the United Nations Programme on Space Application. In 2024, she completed a graduate program in climate policy at Harvard University and was named one of Europe’s Future Energy Leaders, further demonstrating her dedication to shaping a sustainable future.

Grace said: “In what feels like a pivotal year that is testing the global community’s commitment to progress and sustainable development, it’s an honour and a privilege to serve on the Sustainable Development Goals jury. This category is a reminder that creativity, innovation and impactful storytelling are necessary tools for shaping the future, and I’m looking forward to getting immersed in the work.”

Read more about the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, taking place from 16-20 June 2025.