The Africa Channel (TAC), the longest-running independent, minority-owned media company focused on presenting pan-African content to US audiences, announces Toyin Awesu-Uhuegbu as Vice President of Marketing & Corporate Communications to lead the company’s global marketing, communications, and government affairs efforts across TAC’s subsidiary brands.

Awesu-Uhuegbu, a seasoned marketing & communications executive, joins TAC from Prosper Africa - a U.S. government trade and investment initiative. She has held prominent positions including Director of Communications for the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and Head, Marketing & Communications for United Capital Plc. Toyin holds a Master of Science degree in Integrated Marketing & Communications from West Virginia University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Temple University. She is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.

“We are thrilled to have an accomplished executive like Toyin join The Africa Channel team. Her extensive marketing and communications experience in both the government and the private sector will be instrumental in raising awareness about the important role that TAC and its subsidiaries play in bridging connections between Africa and the rest of the world while introducing audiences to the rich programming and narratives from the continent and the Diaspora,” said Narendra Reddy, COO, The Africa Channel.

Aimed with the intent to create a global platform for world leaders to engage in dialogue to resolve conflicts

WION - the leading international news channel from India, concluded its fifth edition of the Global Summit 2022 in Dubai. The summit was aimed at enabling dialogue and discussion around the issues that the world is plagued with. This year, the theme focused on - Peace and the summit hosted world leaders, and industry icons to deliberate on the Global agenda of armed conflicts and will strive to find sustainable solutions for conflicts in all forms.

Some of the notable speakers who have graced the event through their presence are Abdullah Shahid, President, United Nations General Assembly; Sunjay Sudhir, Indian Ambassador to U.A.E; Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Former President, Iran; Jane Holl Lute, Former Deputy Secretary, Department of Homeland Security, U.S.; Yasuhide Nakayama, Former State Minister of Defense, Japan; Shahmahmood Miakhel, Former Governor, Nangarhar, Afghanistan; Marko Mihkelson, Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee, Parliament of Estonia; Konstantin Koshelenko, Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Ukraine and more.

Speaking at the conclave, Abdullah Shahid, President, United Nations General Assembly, says, “Thousands of lives continue to be lost and entire generations face bleak futures filled with bloodshed, and poverty. Altogether the challenges ahead are daunting, yet I remain hopeful because we have powerful tools at our disposal. Tools such as diplomacy, multilateralism and the resilience of the human spirit.” He further added, “Preventing conflict, and sustaining peace is central to the work of UN. Nevertheless, there remains a gap between our desire for peace and the willingness to finance it and this must change…”

The conclave saw Iran's Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad address the audience and point out that war does not help anyone except capitalist countries. “Without war capitalism will be incapable of continuing. It is source of shame that the US Security Council - the main perpetrator of multiple wars has simultaneously been the referee for resolving conflict.”

At the same panel Yasuhide Nakayama, Former State Minister of Defense, Japan, added, “If Xi Jinping is smart, he won’t invade Taiwan.” During the session addressing why dialogue and peace-keeping talks are failing continuously Marko Mihkelson, Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee, Parliament of Estonia said, “Sanctions are our last resort to restore peace… If we really want to end the conflict as soon as possible, the war machines which get money and resources for these kinds of activity must be punished.” He reiterated that the war in Ukraine war against the world order.

In his speech at the conclave, Sudhir Chaudhary, Editor-in-chief and CEO of, WION News, “The uncertainty of the virus is replaced by the uncertainty of violence. In the last four years we have fought 3 types of wars to keep this conversation going. First, terror, followed by Corona Virus, and the third is a military conflict, which is still on-going. Each time we have realised the potential of meaningful dialogue and mutual co-operation, which encourages us to endorse our basic theme of our channel - WION.”

Following its announcement of exclusive discussions on 3 February 2022, BT Group plc (“BT Group”) has agreed a set of definitive agreements with Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (“Warner Bros. Discovery”) to form a 50:50 joint venture company to create a new premium sport offering for the UK & Ireland (the “JV”), and to transfer the operating businesses of BT Sport to Warner Bros. Discovery (together the “Transaction”).

By bringing together the sports content offering of both BT Sport and Eurosport UK, the JV will have one of the most extensive portfolios of premium sports rights including UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, the Premier League, Premiership Rugby, UFC, the Olympic Games, tennis Grand Slams featuring the Australian Open and Roland-Garros, cycling Grand Tours including the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia and the winter sports World Cup season.

Those customers who access BT Sport through BT directly, and the majority of BT TV customers, are set to receive discovery+, the non-fiction entertainment streaming service which is home to Eurosport’s live and on-demand streaming offer in the UK & Ireland, as part of existing subscriptions.

Both BT Sport and Eurosport UK will initially retain their separate brands and product propositions in the market before being brought together under a single brand in the future. BT Group (through its wholly owned subsidiary British Telecommunications plc (“BT plc”)) and Warner Bros. Discovery will enter into distribution agreements with the JV under which they will distribute the combined sports content to new and existing customers on their respective platforms and apps.

Key highlights

BT Sport and Eurosport UK to be brought together to form a premium sports joint venture for customers in the UK & Ireland which will be owned 50:50 by BT plc and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Warner Bros. Discovery and BT plc will each directly contribute, sub-license or deliver the benefit of their respective sports rights and distribution agreements for the UK & Ireland to the JV.

The Transaction will deliver operational efficiencies through the transfer of the operating businesses of BT Sport to Warner Bros. Discovery.

BT plc will receive £93m from Warner Bros. Discovery and up to approximately £540m by way of an earn-out from the JV, subject to certain conditions being met.

BT plc will retain a 50% interest in the JV, and Warner Bros. Discovery will be granted a Call Option over BT plc’s interest in the JV, exercisable at specified points in the first four years of the JV.

The Transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including approvals by the relevant regulatory bodies and is expected to complete by the end of 2022.

Marc Allera, CEO BT’s Consumer division, said “As a global sports and entertainment broadcaster Warner Bros. Discovery is the perfect partner to work with us to take BT Sport to the next stage of its growth. We’re excited to be joining forces to bring the best of BT Sport together with Eurosport UK to create a fantastic new sports offer alongside all the entertainment that discovery+ has to offer BT customers.”

“I’m incredibly proud of the established, creative and innovative broadcaster that BT Sport has become. We have a brilliant team who are dedicated to broadcasting amazing sporting moments and we look forward to working with Eurosport UK to realise the opportunities that this next stage will bring both our team and our viewers.”

Andrew Georgiou, President and Managing Director, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe said “We are excited to bring fans a new premium sport offering that brings together everything they love from BT Sport and Eurosport UK. Combining this with our growing portfolio of premium entertainment content promises to deliver consumers a richer and deeper content proposition, not only providing greater value from their subscriptions but bringing sport to a wider entertainment audience.”

The universal breadth and appeal of sports continues to present brand sponsors with significant upside, both through exposure and how well consumers regard brands’ involvement.

Combined, sports activations are doing more than boosting brand awareness—they’re leading to higher conversion rates.

The higher conversion rates reflect:

Increased brand sponsorships following the global ad pullback in 2020

A high level of trust among fans with respect to sponsorships

Brand advertising increased throughout 2021, with an increased focus on traditional, mass reach mediums like TV and radio. Along those lines, Nielsen Sports tracked a 107% increase in sponsorship spending globally in the early part of 2021, with activations increasing as global sports continued to rebound throughout the year.

From a fan perspective, the increased investment is likely money well spent, as consumers view brand sponsorships in sporting events as very trustworthy. According to our recent Trust in Advertising Study, only recommendations from people and branded websites rank higher in consumer trust.

Combine the high level of trust with the strong correlation between visible sponsorship messaging and purchase behavior, and brands have plenty to gain. In a recent analysis of 100 sponsorships between 2020 and 2021 in seven markets across 20 industries, Nielsen found that the sponsorships drove an average 10% lift in purchase intent among the exposed fanbase.

The transition from building awareness to conversion speaks to the growing importance of sponsorships throughout the full marketing funnel, and this trend will continue. Nielsen’s experience base shows that on average, a 1-point gain in brand metrics such as awareness and consideration drives a 1% increase in sales. Upper-funnel efforts also generate an array of ancillary benefits that can drive the efficiency of sales activations.

In the sports industry, sponsorship activations have transitioned from simply raising brand awareness to actually converting consumers into customers. Across 13 industries Nielsen measured during the pandemic, the increase in purchase intent is greater than brand familiarity among fans exposed to the sponsorship. As brands return to more balanced marketing efforts in many industries, Nielsen expects the pace of this trend to decelerate, but sponsors and rights holders have structurally improved their ability to generate call-to-action from fans.

In looking across the landscape, the cryptocurrency industry has amplified its sponsorship presence more than any other industry over the past two years, mirroring its increased exposure in other areas of the media landscape, such as TV and social media.

Crypto, despite its recent proliferation into consumers’ lives, has some ground to gain before becoming ubiquitous with consumers and their finances. To extend their efforts beyond brand awareness through stadium naming rights and logo patches, the time will come to transition consumers from awareness to intent. Again, the sports industry is ideally positioned for this, as awareness and intent are typically higher among sports fans than the general population.

Crypto brands will, just as any brand would need to, solidify their unique value propositions and evolve their relationships with fans from one-way to two-way conversations backed by education and trust-building.

Forbes to convene the world’s most inspiring and innovative young leaders across business, art and philanthropy to shape, and shake, the future.

Forbes announced the return of its flagship Under 30 Summit EMEA in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, set to take place on May 29 – June 1, 2022. The unique event will bring together inspirational young founders, leaders and mentors for four days of learning, connecting and creating through a series of bespoke sessions and workshops focused on harnessing entrepreneurship to drive positive social and environmental impact globally. This is the first Under 30 Summit EMEA to take place since 2019 due to the pandemic.

In addition to unparalleled learning and networking opportunities, the four-day event will provide Under 30 attendees with the chance to soak up Israel’s rich culture and history through VIP experiences across Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. These include:

· An Opening Bell Ring Ceremony at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange

· Exclusive tours of both historic cities

  Sampling of the world class local cuisine in Tel Aviv and in Jerusalem.

· Immersing themselves in Tel Aviv’s famous night life and exploring Jerusalem’s famous Shuk marketplace.

“We are delighted to bring the Under 30 Summit back to Israel after a two-year hiatus. Israel is one of the world’s most vibrant and creative entrepreneurial environments, and this coupled with the country’s rich culture, makes it an ideal location for Forbes to gather the world’s gamechangers for four days of collaboration and inspirational dialogue, and to discuss how to shape a more positive future through the power of innovation and entrepreneurialism,” said Randall Lane, Forbes Chief Content Officer.

Speakers include:

· Chen Amit, Cofounder and CEO, Tipalti

· Adam Edelman, Captain, Israeli Bobsled Team & Olympian

· Karoline Gross, Founder and CEO, Smartzer

   Uri Levine, Cofounder, Waze

· Tolúlọpẹ́ Ògúnrẹ̀mí, Founder, Coders of Colour

· Victoria Repa, Founder and CEO, BetterMe

· Fedir Serdiuk, Founder, FAST

· Noor Sweid, General Partner, Global Ventures

· Giada Zhang, Cofounder and CEO, Milan Group

· Amy Zitelman, Cofounder and CEO, Soom Foods

· Jackie Zitelman, Chief Procurement Officer and Cofounder, Soom Foods

Forbes’ global Under 30 community includes over 10,000 connected gamechangers worldwide who are using their diverse skills and entrepreneurialism to drive innovation and solve global challenges.

PayerMax, a global omni-method collection and disbursement solution, has announced its launch in the MENA region.

PayerMax supports more than 350 local payment methods, covering Southeast Asia, South Asia, South Korea, LATAM and now MENA.

Leveraging its unified omni-method payment solution, PayerMax will engage and partner across the digital payments provider, banking and regulatory ecosystem to support and accelerate digital payment adoption upholding the regional and national agenda of a cashless society by driving financially inclusive payment acceptance.

Sianna Wu, Senior Vice President - MEA, PayerMax said: “We are proud to launch PayerMax in the MENA region, deepening our local presence through private and public sector partnerships to service online merchants that have ambition beyond borders and unlock monetization at scale across the region.”

By offering global digital merchants and Middle East Payment Institutions the ability and scale to offer localized and financially inclusive payment methods in major markets with one API, PayerMax is set to change the digital payment landscape, one transaction at a time.

“As Middle East’s payments industry continues to evolve, PayerMax is designed to offer enhanced speed, flexibility and convenience. It is important to remember to cover payment methods that ensure maximum financial inclusivity. PayerMax coverage includes omni-channel payment methods beyond international and local cards including carrier billing, over 80+ e-wallets and branded payment solutions from the world's most recognized banks and non-FI institutions.”Sianna Wu added.

The GCC is set to register the fastest growth in e-commerce between 2019 and 2022, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE leading the way at 39% percent and 38% CAGR respectively, according to a report by CNNB Solutions.

The launch of PayerMax in the MENA region represents a very significant milestone as it aims to unify the fragmented payments landscape to bring about a paradigm shift in user behavior and support the rapidly growing MENA digital market to unlock borderless growth.

We just wrapped the biggest live, in-person event in Netflix history: our first, real-life Squid Game! Just kidding … that’s coming next year. But today, I’m excited to announce that in the weeks ahead, some of the incredible shows we taped at Netflix Is a Joke: The Festival will be available to watch:

May 19 - The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up, an evening to celebrate some of the greatest stand-ups of all time who are no longer with us. John Mulaney honors Robin Williams, Dave Chappelle honors Richard Pryor, Chelsea Handler honors Joan Rivers and Jon Stewart honors George Carlin.

June 6 - Bill Burr Presents: Friends Who Kill, a showcase featuring stand-ups curated by Burr.

June 7 and 12 - That’s My Time with David Letterman, each of the six episodes spotlights one comedian, including a 5-minute stand-up set and conversation with Letterman.

June 9 - Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration, the largest-ever gathering of LGBTQ+ comics.

June 10 - A Tribute to Bob Saget, a celebration of Bob’s life in comedy with his friends and family.

June 11 - Amy Schumer's Parental Advisory, a showcase featuring stand-ups curated by Schumer.

June 13 - Pete Davidson Presents: The Best Friends, a multi-comic special hosted and curated by Davidson.

June 14 - Jane Fonda & Lily Tomlin: Ladies Night Live, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda introduce an all-female lineup of comedians.

June 16 - Snoop Dogg’s F*cn Around Comedy Special, original comedy from Snoop, along with sets from legendary black comedians performing at the festival.

June 23 - Best of the Festival, highlights from throughout the 11-day event.

We’ll share more about these shows soon, along with additional specials coming to the service. Like our newest with Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, a history-making special filmed in front of our largest audience ever – a sold out Dodger Stadium! As a forlorn Montreal Expos fan, it was incredible to experience joy on a baseball diamond again. And we’re adding even more festival performances to our Sirius XM Netflix Is a Joke channel.

These shows represent some of the best work we’ve done at Netflix, with the best comedic talent on the planet. We’re so grateful to everyone who performed, helping to create the biggest comedy festival in US history. From Amy Poehler and Tina Fey in conversation to John Mulaney performing at both the Forum and the Hollywood Bowl, and an unforgettable evening during Stand Out … this festival was a celebration of comedy and a true civic event.

There were so many special moments that are almost too numerous to mention - Bill Burr, Wanda Sykes and Kevin Hart headlining the biggest venues in town, Larry David charming everyone at the Greek, Seth Rogen leading hilarious table reads, free outdoor shows at the Palladium and Chris Rock surprising fans at the Hollywood Bowl. And, of course, Dave Chappelle's four sold out stand-up shows at the Bowl will go down as one of the biggest successes of the festival.

Just look at what we were able to accomplish together:

295 shows;

336 comedians performing;

35+ venues across LA - from the Comedy Store and the Laugh Factory to the Dodgers Stadium, the Forum and the Hollywood Bowl, and many more in between;

And 260,000+ tickets sold.

Thanks to the hundreds of thousands of people who came to support and enjoy these shows. It was a great reminder that comedy helps bring us together. There’s nothing quite like being in a crowded theater or outdoor arena with hundreds to thousands of other people laughing their heads off with their favorite comics on stage. For everyone who couldn’t make it to LA, check out highlights from the festival here. And sit tight. We’ll have plenty of great stand-up specials for you on Netflix very soon — it’ll almost feel like you were actually there.

ZEE5 Global brings you the biggest blockbuster of 2022- RRR, Exclusively on May 20 in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam

RRR will be available in its original language with English subtitles, to bring alive the essence of its story and narrative

Bringing yet another mega-blockbuster hit, ZEE5 Global, the largest streaming platform for South Asian content, is set to release renowned Telugu film-maker SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus RRR on May 20th. The film will be available exclusively in all southern languages including Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and the original language, Telugu, along with English subtitles as part of ZEE5 Global’s #RRRealMazaaOnZEE5, which enables audiences to enjoy the movie in its original language and flavour- from the comfort of their homes.

RRR took the entire world by storm by breaking all records at the box office worldwide. With the digital launch of this mega-blockbuster, the platform has yet again taken its regional content focus a notch higher by bringing in hand-picked premium content that reflects diversity in genres. This comes after successful releases like Bangarraju, Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana, Valimai, and more.

A glorious homecoming for many fans, RRR is a roaring, rearing, rousing mix of genres that center around two Indian revolutionaries and their fight against British rule in 1920. Headlined by Ram Charan, N.T. Rama Rao Jr, in lead roles, the film is produced by D. V. V. Danayya of DVV Entertainment and features Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Shriya Saran, Samuthirakani, Ray Stevenson, Alison Doody, and Olivia Morris in pivotal roles.

Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global said, “At ZEE5 our mission is to bring the best of South Asian stories to the world. We are enthused by the remarkable growth in demand we are witnessing across the world for regional content, especially across South Indian languages. Today, we are delighted to bring you yet another blockbuster success-RRR. Bringing alive the true essence and vision of the film on ZEE5, the movie will be available exclusively in its original language, Telugu along with other southern languages - Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada, and with English subtitles, and we invite our global viewers to watch it in its authentic glory.”

The film will be released on the platform on May 20th, not only to mark the 50th day of RRR in cinemas but also as a tribute to the widely loved actor, N.T. Rama Rao Jr, on his birthday.

L'Oréal retains title as most valuable cosmetics brand valued at US$11.2 billion

Estée Lauder brand value surges 39% this year to be fastest growing brand

Natura is world’s strongest cosmetics brand with AAA+ rating

Lifebuoy from Unilever enters Top 50 rankings with hand sanitiser and soap

Asian hair care brands struggle with Sunsilk, Clear and Rejoice falling in value

L'Oréal (brand value up 10% to US$11.2 billion) remains the world’s most valuable cosmetics brand, according to a new report from the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy, Brand Finance. After a tough two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic which substantially reduced cosmetics sales across the world, the brand value of L'Oréal has almost returned to its pre-pandemic value.

Every year, leading brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance puts 5,000 of the biggest brands to the test, and publishes around 100 reports, ranking brands across all sectors and countries. The cosmetics industry’s top 50 most valuable and strongest brands in the world are included in the annual Brand Finance Cosmetics 50 ranking.

L'Oréal continues to lead the global cosmetics industry on the back of its valuable brand portfolio, led by the L’Oréal Paris brand. The French brand has built significant value over 100 years of operation by continuing to innovate and acquire complementary brands that build upon its significant history, value and tradition. This year has seen a transition of leadership from outgoing CEO Jean-Paul Agon, who led L’Oréal for 15 years, to incoming CEO Nicolas Hieronimus. Industry analysts believe that the promotion of key lieutenant Hieronimus from within represents an effort to build on the existing strategy to lead the brand out of the pandemic.

Annie Brown, Associate Director at Brand Finance, commented: “L'Oréal is – again – the world’s most valuable cosmetics brand, but with consumers forecast to increase spending as they re-emerge from the pandemic, the brand has significant growth opportunities. The key challenge for new CEO Hieronimus will be to serve as an effective brand guardian for L'Oréal as it seeks to return to growth, especially throughout Asia.”

Estée Lauder brand value surges 39% this year to be fastest growing brand

Estée Lauder (brand value up 39% to US$7.9 billion) jumped three places from 5th in the cosmetics ranking this year to become the 2nd most valuable cosmetics brand in the world, and the fastest growing. In doing so, it passed Gillette (brand value down 8% to US$6.9 billion), Nivea (brand value up 10% to US$6.8 billion), and Guerlain (brand value up 8% to US$6.1 billion) in brand valuation.

Fresh from celebrating its 75th anniversary, Estée Lauder is investing significant effort in innovative technological developments focused on improved sustainability, with a particular attempt to reduce the use of plastic and refined petroleum products.

Natura is world’s strongest cosmetics brand with AAA+ rating

In addition to calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance. Compliant with ISO 20671, Brand Finance’s assessment of stakeholder equity incorporates original market research data from over 100,000 respondents in more than 35 countries and across nearly 30 sectors. Natura (brand value up 17% to US$2.4 billion) is the strongest brand in the cosmetics ranking with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 91.5 out of 100 and a corresponding brand rating of AAA+.

The brand strength of Natura is boosted by South American stakeholders feeling a strong affinity to the brand – significant proportions of customers familiar with the brand feel a strongly positive connection with the brand. Natura benefits from both local patriotism and a belief amongst many consumers that the brand is caring sustainably for local natural heritage such as the Amazon rainforest.

Lifebuoy from Unilever enters Top 50 rankings with hand sanitiser and soap

Lifebuoy (brand value up 27% to US$0.7 billion) entered the Brand Finance Cosmetics 50 for the first time on the back of rapid growth for the Unilever-owned hand sanitiser and hand soap brand. Lifebuoy, which was the second-fastest growing brand behind only Estée Lauder, answered strong global consumer demand for hygiene products in response to the pandemic.

Lifebuoy benefits from being in the Unilever portfolio of brands. This allowed Lifebuoy to obtain widespread distribution to supermarkets across the world and is a powerful reminder that availability and accessibility is a significant driver of brand value.

While the pandemic obviously created many weaknesses and threats for cosmetics brands, the disruption also created new opportunities, with responsive brands pivoting to the production and distribution of sanitiser and assorted cleaning products. While subsequent scientific advances questioned the widespread use of hand sanitiser to combat a virus which primarily spread in the air, many consumers have changed habits to use hand sanitiser daily.

Asian hair care brands struggle with Sunsilk, Clear and Rejoice falling in value

Several hair care brands in the Asian market faced a tough year, with Sunsilk (brand value down 20% to US$1.0 billion), Clear (brand value down 19% to US$0.9 billion) and Rejoice (brand value down 17% to US$0.9 billion) each losing brand value. This trio of brands are facing changing consumer demands, with each brand losing brand strength amongst their key consumer markets. Research conducted by Brand Finance suggests that these brands are failing to evolve with ongoing trends, while smaller start up brands in the haircare industry are leveraging social media promotion to target a younger customer base and employ e-commerce to sell directly to consumers shopping at home.

Aki Spicer, Chief Strategy Officer Leo Burnett/Chicago is Chairman

10 Industry Innovators Join Together to Judge DE&I Entries

New York Festivals® AME Awards® announced the AME Awards Social Equality - DE&I Grand Jury.

Ten prominent industry executives will together judge all campaigns entered into AME's Category Group - Creativity for Positive Impact: Social Equality - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Launched this year, the new category will shine the spotlight on creative work that positively affects inclusive identities in advertising, ensures representation, enables underrepresented groups to fully experience and connect with brands and is inclusive and respectful of all cultures.

Aki Spicer, Chief Strategy Officer for Leo Burnett/Chicago, and AME Advisory Council member will preside over the judging session and ensure that entries into the new category Social Equality are judged fairly and thoughtfully.

"I am actually excited to gather with this special industry peer-group and connect on what creative excellence looks like in the space of inclusion. And personally, I am voracious for great creative cases to share with my clients and teams - looking forward to taking in the potential greatness!"-Aki Spicer, Chief Strategy Officer, Leo Burnett Chicago

"All of us at AME are thrilled that Aki Spicer is heading up this jury panel, said Gayle Seminara Mandel, Executive Director, AME Awards. "His stellar reputation and the breadth of his creative and strategic expertise will provide the atmosphere of open examination and cooperative creative discussions that will lead to celebrating diverse and inclusive work that fits the parameters of this new and timely category."

Aki Spicer brings his strategic perspective, data-centric, and radically-collaborative approach to the jury panel. As Chief Strategy Officer at Leo Burnett/Chicago, Aki is bridging the gaps between timeless branding and timely behaviors at one of the most storied agency brands in the world.

He advances the Leo Burnett's "Humankind OS" - a strategic process that strives to frame the business problem, brand purpose, and resulting creative solutions thru a lens of human needs for brands like Samsung, Messenger, US Cellular, Kellogg's and more. Aki has been leading the charge of forging Multicultural Intelligence, an end-to-end strategic OS to help Publicis agencies and their brands meet multicultural consumers with more insight, understanding and creative relevance.

Aki was previously Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Digital Officer of TBWA/Chiat/Day NYC, and prior to that he was Director of Digital Strategy at Fallon Worldwide servicing clients like Nissan, Hilton, Adidas, Apple, GM, H&R Block and Netflix.

"We're extremely grateful to these creative and strategic innovators who are sharing their time and industry experience on this important panel," said Seminara Mandel. "Their support allows the competition to recognize creative and strategic work that truly embodies diversity and champions equity and inclusion."

2022 AME Social Equality - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Grand Jury:

Grand Jury Chairman - Aki Spicer, Chief Strategy Officer, Leo Burnett/Chicago

* John Antoniello, VP Senior Group Creative Director, Razorfish
* Rogério Colantuono, Executive Strategy Director, TBWA\Health Collective
* Lucien Etori, VP, Executive Strategy Director, R/GA New York
* Sabena Gupta, Global Brand Marketing Lead, Amazon
* Chelsea Jenkins, Director of Cultural & Inclusive Marketing, Kellogg's
* Janis Middleton, EVP, Executive Director of Multicultural and Inclusion Strategy, Guided By Good
* Paola Ortega, Strategy Director, BBH
* Danny Robinson, Chief Creative Officer, The Martin Agency
* Marialejandra Urbina, Executive Director of Planning, Dieste

The 2022 AME Social Equality DE&I Grand Jury will utilize Publicis' Creative Inclusion Progress Scorecard as judging criteria, this scorecard will honor work that effectively drives inclusion from representation to resonance.

Jury sessions are parsed in the annual AME Report, that honors and provides rankings for agencies and brands from 30 countries.

The deadline to enter the 2022 AME Awards competition is May 20th, 2022. Competition details and additional information can be found on the AME website: HERE. To enter visit HERE.