Sbu Sitole named LIA Audio & Radio jury president

Sbu Sitole is the chief creative officer at The Odd Number. Source: Supplied.

This year, 18 jury presidents will be presiding over 30 categories in Las Vegas to set the standard of excellence for creativity in 2025.

Included in this year’s lineup of jury presidents will be Linda Cronin, EVP Global Media, Monks, who will preside over the inaugural Creativity in Media competition. As the show that is created for creatives, the Creativity in Media jury will be looking to award work that raises standards in the context of media, where inspiring media ideas and innovative channels take center stage.

Cronin said, “Media performance and digital growth have become increasingly reliant on thumb-stopping ad creative, and it's leading to more collaboration than ever before between media buyers, designers and creative strategists. I'm honoured to be part of the jury panel for LIA's 2025 Creativity in Media to help recognise creative excellence that is making media more effective and more impactful on the bottom line.”

Each year, LIA assembles the best creative people, who themselves, are highly awarded people, to judge. Barbara Levy, president of LIA, said, “We take great care in inviting the best people to judge as it is a big responsibility. These are highly respected industry leaders who create and look at ideas all the time, so they can distinguish between mediocre, good and excellent work in terms of creativity.”

The 2025 jury presidents:

Ambient & Activation | Billboard | Poster | Print

• Chaka Sobhani, president / global chief creative officer, DDB Worldwide

Audio & Radio

• Sbu Sitole, chief creative officer, The Odd Number, Johannesburg

Branded Content and Branded Entertainment

• Javier Campopiano, global chief creative officer, McCann Worldgroup & McCann

Creative Strategy

• Sandi Preston, chief strategy officer, Translation - Division of United Masters, Brooklyn

Creativity In B2B and Transformative Business Impact

• Gavin Chimes, chief creative officer, Howatson+Company, Sydney

Creativity In Media

• Linda Cronin, EVP Global Media, Monks

Creativity In PR

• Judy John, global chief creative Officer, Edelman

Design and Package Design

• Thomas Mueller, global head of design / chief design officer, EMEA, Accenture Song

Digital and Use of Social Media & Influencers

• Samira Ansari, chief creative officer, Ogilvy NY

Evolution and Creative Use of Data

• Gabriel Schmitt, global chief creative officer, Grey

Health & Wellness

• Stephanie Berman, global chief creative officer, The Bloc

Health & Wellness-Craft and Pharma & Medical-Craft

• Steve Martin, creative director – EMEA & Global, Syneos Health

Integration and Direct

• Chris Beresford-Hill, worldwide chief creative officer, BBDO

Music & Sound

• Lucas Sfair, CEO / head of audio, Bumblebeat, São Paulo

Non-Traditional

• Marco Venturelli, global CEO / CCO Leo | CEO / CCO Publicis Conseil | CCO Publicis Groupe France

Pharma & Medical

• Collette Douaihy, global chief creative officer, Health, Dentsu Health

Production & Post-Production and Music Video

• Paul Hunter, co-founder, PRETTYBIRD

TV & Cinema and Online Film

• Vicki Maguire, chief creative officer, Havas London

Judging in Las Vegas commences on 25 September and will be completed on 3rd October 2025. All rounds of judging are done onsite at the Encore at Wynn Hotel. Every judge is required to see every piece of work in their respective categories. These panels decide on the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Statue Winners, as well as the Finalists. Each panel, at their discretion, also decides on whether a Grand LIA will be awarded.