Publicis Groupe South Asia CEO, Anupriya Acharya has been appointed as Jury President for the Creative Data Lions at Cannes Lions 2026, becoming the first Indian to lead the jury for this category and the first leader from India’s media fraternity to be named Jury President for the Creative Data Lions at Cannes Lions.
Acharya says, “I’m honoured to lead the jury for the Creative Data Lions—a category that reflects how creativity today is increasingly shaped by the interplay of data, intelligence and technology. There is often a misconception that data limits creativity, when in fact it can expand its possibilities—informing ideas, experiences and content that are meaningful, measurable, and relevant at scale. I’m looking forward to seeing how our industry uses data with imagination and responsibility to deliver creativity that drives real business impact.”
Introduced in 2015, the Creative Data Lions celebrate ideas that demonstrate how data can be creatively applied to unlock insights, inform decision-making and drive powerful creative solutions. The category recognises work that uses data with originality and rigour to deliver meaningful experiences, measurable outcomes and real-world impact for brands and businesses.