New Zealand’s Hilary Ngan Kee, head of strategy at Motion Sickness, and Australia’s Shyaire Ganglani, associate creative director at Leo Australia, have been named in the prestigious See It Be It cohort for the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity announced the 20-strong cohort for its flagship See It Be It initiative on Wednesday, representing 15 markets worldwide, including Serbia and South Korea for the first time.
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Taking place during the Festival from 22–26 June 2026, See It Be It offers participants access to tailored mentorship, private masterclasses with global industry leaders, and behind-the-scenes experiences designed to support career progression. The programme, delivered by LIONS, also connects participants with a global network of peers and alumni, fostering long-term professional relationships and shared learning.
Now in its ongoing evolution since launching in 2014, See It Be It has supported more than 150 women and non-binary creatives from 44 markets, with a focus on addressing gender imbalance at leadership levels within the creative industries. This year’s cohort will be guided by Alumni Tutors Leena Gupta and Natasha Lashly, both of whom return to the programme to mentor the next generation of talent.
Speaking on her selection, B&T spoke with Hilary Ngan Kee, who reflected on the opportunity and the broader impact of the programme.
“The opportunity that See It Be It provides feels exciting, and rare. We’ve built an indie agency at the bottom of the world, where I’ve figured a lot of things out for myself,” she said.
Being at Cannes, immersed in world-class creativity and learning, while connecting with 19 ambitious peers from around the globe to exchange our experiences, challenges, and ambitions, feels like a real perspective shift. I already know this is something I’ll look back on with real gratitude,” she said.
Frank Starling, Chief DEI Officer at LIONS, said the programme remains “a cornerstone initiative at Cannes Lions.”
“This year, the programme welcomes a dynamic cohort representing a broad range of creative disciplines and global markets. Their unique perspectives and experiences will undoubtedly enrich our SIBI community – a network dedicated to fostering career development and paving the way forward for women and non-binary talent in the industry.”
See the full cohort below:
Aidovhioghie Anani | Deputy Creative Director, X3M Ideas, Nigeria
Alba Abelló Balmes | Senior Creative, Twitch, UK
Beatriz Fiori | Senior Copywriter, GUT São Paulo, Brazil
Dana Buckhorn | Creative Director, Copywriter, Mischief @ No Fixed Address, USA
Eugene Park | Creative Excellence Lead, CJ Cheiljedang, South Korea
Farah El Beaini | Group Account Director, Burson, Lebanon / UAE
Haylie Craig | Global Associate Creative Director, LEGO Group, Denmark (they/them)
Hilary Ngan Kee | Head of Strategy, Motion Sickness, Aotearoa New Zealand
Holly Attrill | Senior Creative, Wieden+Kennedy London, UK
Kristen Gaerlan | Creative Director, Weber Shandwick, USA
Liesl Lategan – Kyriakou | Founder/Executive Producer, Spitfire Films, South Africa
Liyana Hidhir | Copywriter, Independent, Singapore
Micaelle Lages | Creative Director & Co-Founder, thecode, Brazil
Natalie Narh | Co-Founder & CEO, NewComma, Ghana
Padcha Tanviruch | Independent Creative Director, Thailand
Priscila Ramos de Sousa | Associate Creative Director, Area 23, USA
Shreya Arora | Creative Strategy, Ultrahuman, India
Shyaire Ganglani | Associate Creative Director (Copywriter), Leo Australia, Australia
Svetlana Ćopić | Founder & Creative Director, No Agency, Serbia
Valentina Bezzolo Briceño | Senior Creative Copywriter, DDB Chile, Chile
