Advertising Council Australia (ACA) has opened entries for the 2026 Young Lions Australia Competition, appointing five Jury Chairs who will lead judging across the categories of Media, Marketing, Digital, Film and PR.
In 2026, Aimee Buchanan, CEO of WPP Media ANZ, will head the Media category; Mim Haysom, executive general manager of brand and customer experience at Suncorp Group, will oversee marketing; Emma Robbins, chief creative officer at M+C Saatchi, takes charge of digital; Ant Melder, co-founder and creative partner at Cocogun, will lead Film; and Simone Gupta, co-founder of Supermassive, will chair PR.
ACA CEO Tony Hale said the calibre of this year’s Jury Chairs reflects the competition’s growing prestige and its role in championing young creative excellence.
“With such an exceptional lineup of Jury Chairs, the Young Lions Australia competition remains the ultimate platform for emerging professionals across the industry, a place where ambition meets opportunity and our future stars are made.”
The competition offers Australia’s trailblazers a career-defining opportunity to compete against the world’s best at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France. Following a strong 2025 campaign, in which Australia’s Young Lions brought home a Silver in Marketing, a Bronze in Digital and two shortlistings, the competition returns in 2026 to spotlight the country’s best emerging talent.
“Our 2025 team didn’t just represent Australia, they set a new benchmark for what’s possible when talented young professionals come together. Their ideas and camaraderie were outstanding, and we couldn’t be prouder of what they achieved. The 2026 competition will continue that momentum and give another ten champions the chance to shine on the global stage,” added Hale.
In partnership with the AANA, MFA and IAB Australia, ACA will oversee category judging to ensure the highest creative standards across each discipline.
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