Cannes Lions appoints Diego Machado as Innovation Lions Jury President

AKQA’s Chief Creative Officer Diego Machado has been appointed Cannes Lions Jury President for the Innovation Lions category.

The Innovation Lions celebrate groundbreaking innovation, technology and problem-solving ideas that turn imagination into impactful reality. The category honours early-stage technologies – in prototype and beta stages of their creation – and innovation from solutions-driven products to pioneering work that demonstrates a positive environmental contribution at the pinnacle of technological advancement.

Diego said: “It seems there has never been a more opportune time to create or recreate anything than right now. Simultaneously, the world and our society are clamouring for transformations – environmental, economic, political, and human progress – all in pursuit of creating a better future faster. In this vast sea of trailblazing industries, standing out with unique products and reinventions has become an even greater challenge. I’m both humbled and thrilled to discover the most creative ideas in this field this year.”

With a foundation in art and design, Diego is recognised as a prominent figure among a new generation of creative leaders. In 2014, at the age of 26, he co-founded AKQA’s first studio in Brazil with Chief Creative Officer Hugo Veiga, which was commended as the most successful Brazilian studio at Cannes Lions 2023.

Also in 2023, Nike’s Never Done Evolving, produced by AKQA’s global studios in São Paulo, Melbourne and Portland, was awarded the Cannes Lion Digital Craft Grand Prix, revealing how machine learning can elevate human ambition whilst setting a new standard for data-driven innovation.

Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is scheduled to take place from 7-21 June 2024.