Cannes - PR, Promo & Activation jury heads ready to roar

"As the world's most coveted awards in advertising and communications, it is essential that we appoint only the best global leaders to chair the juries. We are therefore privileged to have such distinguished and greatly admired professionals such as Paul and Tina at Cannes Lions to lead the way forward," says Philip Thomas, festival CEO.

Paul Taaffe

Hill & Knowlton, a leading international communications consultancy providing services to local, multinational and global clients, is headquartered in New York with 80 offices in 43 countries, as well as an extensive associate network. Under Taaffe's leadership, it has grown to become the most transnational of all the agency networks, with Paul spearheading its drive into the BRIC countries and emerging markets, expanding its range of practices and integrating digital expertise across all disciplines.

Paul started as CEO of in the UK in 1992, was promoted to president of the group in Europe, Middle East and Africa in 1995 and became global chair and CEO in 2002. He personally advises CEOs and companies on defending reputation and growing brands around the world.

"Last year, PR agencies were newbies and so two-thirds of PR Lions submissions worldwide were from advertising agencies. This year, the global PR industry has no excuse. Creative thinking is the key to great communications and I look forward to chairing an international PR jury in a year that I'm sure will raise the bar around the world," says Paul on his role, which was launched last year.

Tina Manikas

As an integrated marketing professional specialising in behaviour-driven promotional activation as well as retail branding and communication, Manikas oversees all promotion, retail and shopper marketing efforts for the group's global network, which spans 96 countries. She is a recognised leader in the industry and leads teams creating integrated solutions for a global account portfolio that includes SC Johnson, Kraft, Motorola and Brown-Forman, as well as US-based blue-chip clients MilkPEP and Kmart.

In 2008 and 2009, she drove the agency to the number-one position in Promo Magazine's Promo 100 ranking. Under her leadership, the agency's promotional efforts have been recognised with more than 80 awards in recent years, including PMA's Super, Gold and Best Idea Reggies, MAA's Globe awards, Promo Magazine's PRO awards and POPAI in-store merchandising awards. She plays a key role in crafting strategic, integrated ideas as well as creating the agency's unique tools and creative processes used to optimise the shopper's path to purchase and bring winning promotional programmes to life.

"I am more than excited to have been selected to be the president of the promo Lions jury in 2010," says Manikas. "The Lions honour truly outstanding creative ideas and executions and our jury will be inspired by many, while others will become the subject of intense debate. In any case, I am sure we will all find the experience educational, enlightening and, from what I've been told, more than a little exhausting. I can't wait!"