SA's Lauren van Aswegen revealed as a 2019 Next Creative Leaders winner

Among the winners is Lauren van Aswegen, originally from Johannesburg and currently a freelance ACD/art director in New York.

Developed collaboratively by the organisations in 2015, Next Creative Leaders identifies and celebrates talented creative women who are making their mark with both great work and a workplace perspective on diversity that helps change the industry for the better. While seven of this year’s honorees currently work in the US, the program has a strong global element with eight winners originally from other countries.

Next Creative Leaders for 2019 are:

• Lauren van Aswegen, ACD/art director, freelance, New York (originally from Johannesburg, South Africa)
• Brynna Aylward, associate creative director, Red Fuse, Chicago
• Erin Evon, senior art director, R/GA New York
• Sali Horsey, copywriter, and Zoe Nash, art director (awarded as a team), adam&eveDDB, London
• Marie-Claire Maalouf, creative director, Impact BBDO Dubai (originally from Jbeil, Lebanon)
• Mariana Oliveira, associate creative director, BBDO New York (originally from Belo Horizonte, Brazil)
• Patty Orlando, creative director, Wieden+Kennedy Portland
• Sara Phillips, art director, Wieden+Kennedy Portland (originally from Theescombe, Gloucestershire, UK)
• Caro Rebello, creative director, McCann New York (originally from Curitiba, Brazil)
• Hannah Smit, creative director, Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam (originally from Guelph, Canada)

“The One Club for Creativity has a long-standing commitment to providing programming that helps improve the industry's diversity and gender equality,” said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club.

We created our own Inclusion and diversity department nearly a decade ago, and are proud to support programs like Next Creative Leaders that identify, elevate and give voice to those who are making a real difference. They are the ones who are opening the door and inspiring the next generation of women who follow in their footsteps.

True global showcase of diversity

“I’m proud of the level of talent and spirit embodied by this year’s Next Creative Leaders and their contribution to the industry,” Kat Gordon, founder, The 3% Movement.

The majority of our winners are currently or originally from outside the US, making this a true global showcase of diversity, advocacy and opportunity for people of every ethnicity.

To make the Next Creative Leaders program as open and accessible as possible, there is no cost for entering the competition. Entrants were judged on four-to-six pieces of creative work, their background, and information about how they — and their work — are pushing the industry forward and making a positive contribution in terms of diversity, mentoring and advocacy. Winners were selected by a jury of 39 top creatives, including a number of past Next Creative Leaders winners.