Eight young creatives from Australia and NZ to attend LIA Creative LIAisons in Las Vegas; 13 Global CCOs to inspire the Creative LIAisons Cohort
LIA has announced the eight talented emerging creatives from Australia and New Zealand chosen to participate in LIA’s Creative LIAisons onsite educational program in Las Vegas.
Onsite Creative LIAison mentees from Australia and New Zealand include:
Matthew Chen, Art Director, Freelance, Melbourne
Crystal Hay, Copywriter, TBWA\ NZ, Auckland
Jackson Elliott, Art Director, Saatchi & Saatchi, Sydney
Rhiana Merota, Intermediate Art Director, Special NZ
Thomas Macphail, Senior Art Director, Howatson+Company
Laura Murphy, Art Director, M+C Saatchi Sydney
Rory Moore, Copywriter, DDB Melbourne
Phoenix Santamaria, Art Director, DDB Melbourne
Each year, Campaign Brief selects one or two young creatives from the CB Australian and New Zealand Agencies of the Year to attend the all-expenses-paid, once-in-a-lifetime Creative LIAisons onsite program, alongside 130+ rising stars from around the world. As announced in June, this year Thomas Macphail from Howatson+Company ~ current CB Australian Agency of the Year and Rhiana Merota from Special New Zealand ~ current CB New Zealand 2024 Agency of the Year, will be making their way to Las Vegas in the last week of September for the Creative LIAisons Global Coaching Academy.
To see the legacy of talent that has come through the Creative LIAisons program via Campaign Brief since 2012, click here.
This year, LIA’s specially curated Creative LIAisons onsite educational program for emerging talent will have the privilege of featuring 13 Global Chief Creative Officers, as well as, a stellar line up of top industry professionals from around the world. This highly anticipated and exclusive five-day training program for young talent worldwide takes place concurrently with LIA judging at Encore @ Wynn Las Vegas commencing on 27th September and runs through 1st October.
Established in 2012, the Creative LIAisons Global Coaching Academy is LIA’s educational initiative for creatives between the ages of 21 to 30. There are no delegate fees. LIA funds this program by reinvesting the money from entry submissions back into the industry; covering airfare, hotel accommodation, all program activities, lunches and a networking dinner for those lucky enough to be selected for this onsite program.
“Helping to support, nurture, up-skill and inspire the future stars of the industry is so Important,” explains Laurissa Levy, LIA Creative LIAisons and Educational Initiatives Director. “And we are very grateful to all the Global CCOs, Chief Creative Officers and top industry practitioners, who are giving their time to share their knowledge, expertise and experience with these up-and-coming creatives. The whole program has been curated to be a masterclass in accelerating career learning.”
As usual, this year’s program is designed to be a career game-changer and confidence booster for young talent. The LIAisons attendees learn from seminars and very open and honest panel discussions with the top creative people. All sessions in Creative LIAisons are two-way. They get to listen as well as ask questions in a campus-like atmosphere. They will also get to roll up their sleeves, work together with their contemporaries from different parts of the world on a real client brief.
Perhaps the steepest learning curve comes from sitting in the judging rooms to witness in real-time the final statue discussions, opinions and debates of the jury members as they talk through every piece of work that is contending for a Statue.
LIA re-wrote the rule book over 10 years ago with its jury room open door policy and not only have the Creative LIAisons attendees been privy to the magic behind the curtain, but press and creative excellence managers can go into the rooms anytime to witness judging as it happens. No other global show allows such transparency.
A preview of LIA’s all-star program includes, but is not limited to:
‘Create For All Of Us’ with Westfield x Disney Workshop
In Partnership with AKQA
Panels and Speakers sessions featuring some of the world’s top creatives
Javier Campopiano, Global Chief Creative Officer, McCann Worldgroup & McCann
Liz Taylor, Global Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy
Chris Beresford-Hill, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, BBDO
Marco Venturelli, Global CEO/CCO Leo, CEO/CCO Publicis Conseil, CCO Publicis Groupe France
Chaka Sobhani, President and Global Chief Creative Officer, DDB Worldwide
Gabriel Schmitt, Global Chief Creative Officer, Grey
Pancho Cassis, Global Chief Creative Officer / Partner, DAVID
Justine Armour, Global Chief Creative Officer, Forsman & Bodenofors
Andrés Ordóñez, Global Chief Creative Officer, FCB
Rob Doubal, Global Chief Creative Officer, M&C Saatchi
Judy John, Global Chief Creative Officer, Edelman
Collette (Coco) Douaihy, Global Chief Creative Officer, Health, Dentsu Health
Stephanie Berman, Global Chief Creative Officer, The Bloc
Susan Credle, Global Creative Advisor, IPG and Former Global Chair & CCO, FCB, Interpublic
Thomas Mueller, Global Head of Design / Chief Design Officer, EMEA,
Accenture Song, Munich
Linda Cronin, EVP, Global Media, Monks
Perry Fair, Head of Creative, Mattel, El Segundo
Vicki Maguire, Chief Creative Officer, Havas, London
Marjorieth Sanmartin, Chief Creative Officer, Philipp und Keuntje, Hamburg
Rey Tiempo, Chief Creative Officer, Minotaur, Manila
Paul Hunter, Co. Founder / Director, PRETTYBIRD, Culver City
Michael Ritchie, Managing Director / Co-Owner, Revolver, Sydney
Steve Martin, Creative Director – EMEA & Global, Syneos Health
Daniela Varel, Group Creative Director, Weber Shandwick, New York
Courtney Richardson, Creative Director, Droga5 New York, New York
“There’s more to come. We take great efforts to ensure that the LIAisons curriculum meets the needs of the young talents and gives them a broader perspective of the business. It’s a program that has something for everybody. Everyone comes away from it enriched,” adds Laurissa Levy.
VIEW THE FULL 2025 CREATIVE LIAISONS PROGRAM
LIA also holds a virtual component of Creative LIAisons that offers one-on-one coaching sessions between established industry leaders and young creatives. This program, also known as the Creative LIAisons Global Virtual Coaching Program, is designed to develop, educate, inspire, and nurture emerging talent in the advertising and creative industries. The virtual aspect allows for bespoke coaching sessions tailored to the mentee’s needs, focusing on skill development, idea elevation, and career advancement. The virtual coaching sessions take place from April through to November 2025.
Virtual Mentees from Australia include:
Jackson Best, Copywriter, Droga5 Sydney
Madeline (Mads) Catanese, TBWA\Melbourne
Clara Daley, Copywriter, Freelance, Melbourne
Marcus Fisher, Copywriter, We Are Social, Sydney
Caitie Hall, Art Director, Droga5 Sydney
Geon Joo (Daniel) Lee, Art Director, BMF
Samantha (Sammy) Lee, Graphic Designer, Supersolid, Sydney
Izzi McGrath, Creative, TBWA\Melbourne
Brandon Nee, Art Director, Leo Australia, Melbourne
Madeleine (Maddy) Semit, Copywriter, Howatson+Company
Ellen Whittaker, Senior Art Director, Publicis Worldwide Australia, Brisbane
Virtual Mentees from New Zealand include:
Casey Clarke, Copywriter, Droga5 Aotearoa
Zachary Nairn, Art Director, Droga5 Aotearoa
Kelly France, Intermediate Art Director, Colenso BBDO, Auckland
Andrew Hathaway, Intermediate Copywriter, Colenso BBDO, Auckland
Phoebe Rooney, Junior Copywriter, DDB Aotearoa
Simon Watts, Intermediate Creative, Special New Zealand
VIEW THE FULL LIST OF 2025 MENTEES
While LIA is instrumental in putting together the five-day program, we are not directly involved in the selection process of attendees. LIA offers global allocations to its supporters in the creative community. The candidates are put forward by these companies, agency networks, ad clubs and associations and the trade press through regional competitions. All mentees must be currently working in the industry or a related business.
Funding for Creative LIAisons comes from entry submissions. The Final LIA Entry Deadline is 4th September, 2025. Eligible work must be released, published or broadcast in a commercial environment with client approval beginning 1st July, 2024 through 31st August, 2025. LIA does not charge late fees. Ever.
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