The Best of Cannes Review

Couldn't make it to Cannes? The Paley Media Council 2017 Review highlighted the best-of-the-best, with fresh perspectives from an array of experts, including some of the most influential media visionaries.

Since its first outing in 1954, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has been bringing the creative communications industry together every year at its one-of-a-kind event in Cannes to learn, network and celebrate. The Festival in June marks the culmination and start of the creative year, a time for the Cannes Lions global community – made up of the world’s most inventive, talented and creative people – to set the agenda for the year ahead.

Wendy Clark
CEO, DDB North America

Wendy Clark is Chief Executive Officer of DDB North America. Clark joined DDB in January 2016 after working client side at Coca-Cola North America, where she led the Sparkling Category Business Unit as well as the Strategic Marketing organization, including Brand Strategy and Innovation; Media Connections, Investments and Assets; Content and Design.

Prior to joining The Coca-Coca Company, Clark was Senior Vice President, Advertising for AT&T, the world’s largest telecommunications company, where she was at the helm of the company’s most ambitious and aggressive re-branding and advertising campaign in its history.
In 2014, Clark was recognized by New York Women in Communications with the coveted Matrix award. Among other recognitions, in 2011 Fast Company cited Clark as the Brand Refresher on its top ten list of innovative Business Disruptors and the Advertising Women of New York recognized Clark as their 2011 Advertising Woman of the Year.

In 2009 and 2010, FORTUNE featured Clark in its “40 Under 40” issue, ranking as the highest woman in 2010 (#15). She was also named one of four “Women to Watch” by FORTUNE.
Clark’s efforts were recognized in 2007, upon her induction into the American Advertising Federation’s Advertising Hall of Achievement. In addition, Advertising Age cited Clark as “one of the most important women in marketing” in its “Women to Watch” 2007 issue. Only a couple years later, Clark was named Advertising Age’s 2017 Executive of the Year and was ranked #76 on Adweek’s 2017 Power List. In 2017 She also served as Jury President of the Cannes Lions Glass Lion Jury.

Clark is an advisory board member IDEO.org, a board director for the Ad Council and American Advertising Federation, and a board member of the Effie Awards.

Michael Kassan
Chairman and CEO, MediaLink

Michael E. Kassan is an internationally recognized business strategist operating at the intersection of the media, advertising, entertainment and technology industries. He is the founder of MediaLink, a leading advisory and business development firm with principal offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco. The team of 140+ provide critical counsel in the areas of strategic marketing and brand development, implementation roadmaps, technology solutions for media, media sales and revenue generation, business development, organizational planning and competitive analysis to many of the Fortune 100’s biggest global brands.

Previously, Kassan was the President/COO and Vice-Chairman of Initiative Media Worldwide, where he helped grow media billings from $1.5 billion to over $10 billion. Prior to Initiative, he was President and COO of International Video Entertainment (Artisan Entertainment). In 1997, he was named one of the top media executives in America by Advertising Age Magazine.

Kassan is often called upon as a speaker, moderator and commentator to share his insights on the media and advertising industries and the places in which tangible opportunities exist for marketers. He is a regular keynote speaker at the world’s major media conferences, including Consumer Electronics Show, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Mobile World Congress, Advertising Week, Media360, among others.

Kassan has served on the Board of the Hollywood Radio and Television Society, The Paley Center for Media, Ad Council, She Runs It (formerly AWNY), American Advertising Federation, National Board of The Whitney Museum of American Art, iDiverse, the Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy and the Cultural Affairs Commission – City of Los Angeles and has been Chairman of the State Senate Select Committee on the Entertainment Industry. In addition, he is a strong supporter of community and not-for-profit programs, and currently serves as Chair of the UJA-New York Marketing Communications Committee.

Jon Miller
Partner, Advancit Capital

Jonathan Miller is a partner at Advancit Capital and Chairman of Indigenous Media. He was the chief digital officer and chairman and CEO, Digital Media Group for News Corporation, a role in which he drove the company's overall digital strategy in conjunction with various operational heads, while also directly overseeing all of News Corp.'s standalone digital businesses.

He also acted as News Corp.'s principal executive for Hulu. Previously, Jon was chairman and CEO of AOL, where he led the company to a record annual profit growth of 21 percent, and increased online advertising growth-the centerpiece of its new business model-by 46 percent in 2006. Jon was a founding partner of Velocity Interactive Group, an investment firm focusing on digital media and the consumer Internet space. He is a cofounder of Fuel Media Commerce, which focused on early stage investments.

Jon is on the board of Trip Advisor (audit), Shutterstock (nominating and governance), Open X (chair), and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. In addition, he serves as a nonprofit director/trustee for the American Film Institute, BBC Global News, International Emmy Association, Independent Film Project, and The Paley Center for Media.

Shelley Zalis
CEO, The Female Quotient and Founder, The Girls’ Lounge

Shelley has gone against the grain most of her career, starting in 2000 when she left the corporate world to pioneer online research.  Shelley created OTX (Online Testing Exchange), which in just nine years became one of the largest and fastest growing research companies in the world.  She sold OTX to Ipsos in 2010, where she led global innovation in over 80 countries. 

As the first female chief executive ranked in the research industry’s top 25, she changed the game, brought emotion and passion to the boardroom and has devoted herself to becoming a mentor and friend to women and leaders in her industry. Her most recent endeavor includes launching The Female Quotient and Girls’ Lounge which supports and mentors women to find their voice, embrace their feminine leadership powers and work together to transform corporate culture. Shelley is also the host of a new Bloomberg series titled “Walk The Talk” focused on gender equality and the critical importance of women in executive leadership.

Shelley is destined to innovate and create meaningful change. She is the Co-Founder of the ANA’s AFE #SeeHer initiative and a board member of She Runs It (Formerly AWNY), I Am That Girl, Dress for Success, The Women Economic Forum, ColorComm, The Foundation for Exxcellence in Women’s Health and the Women’s Military Symposium.  Shelley has been awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, Global Marketing Leadership Award, ARF Great Minds in Innovation Award and AWNY’s Game Changer Award.  Shelley has also been inducted into the IRTS Hall of Mentorship and has been honored by girls inc. for her achievements as a business leader.  A pioneer, a wife and a mother of three, she successfully juggles between CEO and Mom. 

This event is exclusive to Media Council members and other invited guests. To find out more about Media Council membership, contact mediacouncil@paleycenter.org.