Film, Press Lions jury president announced

“The fact that Craig has experienced different cultures, is in a global leadership position and has demonstrated a clear track record of creative achievement, makes him ideally suited to be the Cannes Film and Press jury president in 2008,” said Terry Savage, festival chairman.

Commenting on his appointment, Davis said, “Great creativity can and does come from anywhere. What I love about Cannes is that it recognises this truth across multiple disciplines on a scale unmatched by any other award festival. It's an honour to be leading the search for the world's best creativity in film and press advertising in 2008.”

Born and raised in Australia, Davis stumbled into the world of advertising after graduating from AWARD (Australian Writers and Art Directors') School in 1987 following stints as a barman, law student, busker, finance broker, turf cutter, biscuit maker, fruit picker, fashion show producer and truck driver. He also learnt how to sail on the local lake, eventually winning national championships and representing Australia internationally. Over the next several years Davis developed his own agency, which became one of Australia's most awarded independents.

Most awarded Asian agency network

In 1999 he left Australia to become executive creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore and in 2000 was promoted to regional executive creative director based in Hong Kong. Under his leadership, Saatchi & Saatchi became the most awarded agency network in Asia and was named ‘Creative Network of the Year' in 2002. In 2003, Davis helped Saatchi & Saatchi win both AdAge and Adweek's ‘Global Agency of the Year' and was named Asia's ‘Advertising Person of the Year'.

The following year he moved to London to join JWT as the creative leader for Europe, the Middle East and Africa and in 2005 was made JWT's chief creative officer, worldwide. Since joining JWT the network's creative reputation has improved significantly and the Cannes Lions tally has more than tripled.

In 2007 Davis became the first guest editor of the Gunn Report and was inducted into the Campaign Brief Hall of Fame. He is a frequent speaker at industry forums, is on the advisory board for the Berlin School of Creative Leadership, and has judged at numerous regional and international award shows, including Cannes Titanium in 2006.

Davis lives in London with his wife and is teaching his three children to sail.