Cannes Lions has named Jim Stengel the inaugural Lions Laureate for Marketing, a new honor recognizing individuals whose vision, influence and contribution have left a lasting mark on the marketing profession.
The award celebrates leaders who have advanced the role of creative marketing in driving business growth. Stengel, whose career spans more than three decades, including seven years as global marketing officer at Procter & Gamble, has been widely recognized for helping shape modern marketing leadership.
His connection to Cannes Lions runs deep.
In 2003, Stengel brought the first major client-side marketing delegation to the festival, helping accelerate Cannes Lions’ evolution into a global meeting place not only for agencies and creatives, but also for marketers, brand builders, and business leaders.
Beyond his corporate leadership, Stengel has spent much of the past two decades focused on developing the next generation of marketers through teaching, writing and mentorship. In 2011, he served as dean of the inaugural Cannes Lions Creative Academy for Marketers. In 2013, he helped establish the CMO Accelerator Programme, which continues to support senior marketing leaders.
“Jim’s influence extends far beyond the marketing functions and organisations he has led,” said Simon Cook, CEO of LIONS. “Through his leadership, mentorship, and unwavering belief in the power of creative marketing, he has shaped the thinking and careers of marketers across generations.”
Cook added that Stengel’s impact has been felt through both the brands he helped build and the leaders he has inspired.
“We are delighted to recognize Jim as the inaugural Lions Laureate for Marketing,” Cook said. “I can think of no one more deserving of this honor, nor anyone who better embodies what it stands for.”
Stengel said he was “deeply honored” by the recognition and framed the award as a reflection of the people who shaped his career. “Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to learn from extraordinary colleagues, partners, and friends, and this recognition is really a reflection of those relationships,” Stengel said. “I have always believed that creativity is one of the most powerful forces for growth in business and positive impact in the world.”
He added, “If I have contributed anything along the way, I hope it has been encouraging marketers to think a little bigger about the role they can play, the value they can create, and the difference they can make.”
Stengel will deliver the inaugural Lions Laureate Seminar in the Debussy Theatre on Thursday, June 25. He will receive the award at the Cannes Lions Awards Show later that evening.
The new honor gives Cannes Lions another way to recognize the marketing leaders who have helped expand the festival’s influence and reinforce creativity as a business force.
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