For nearly seven decades, the New York Festivals Advertising Awards® has positioned itself as one of the industry’s most respected global competitions—the kind of stage where the boundary-pushers, the risk-takers, and the genuinely inventive rise above the noise. The 2026 edition aims to double down on that legacy with the appointment of Andrea Diquez, Global CEO of GUT, as Executive Jury President.
If NYF wanted a leader capable of balancing creative audacity with business-grounded clarity, they picked someone who has made a career out of doing exactly that.
A veteran with more than 25 years in high-stakes agency leadership, Diquez will curate and guide an international jury of top creative minds, selecting breakthrough work across every category. Her role includes leading in-person judging sessions in New York City—a process known for tough debates, candid conversations, and moments of creative reckoning where campaigns are scrutinized not only for brilliance, but for impact.
“Andrea Diquez’s unique blend of creative vision and business leadership makes her the perfect choice to assemble and lead the 2026 Executive Jury,” said Scott Rose, President of New York Festivals.
A Global Leader Shaped by Transformation—and Results
Diquez’s appointment isn’t ceremonial; it reflects a career defined by transforming agencies, strengthening creative reputations, and delivering measurable business impact.
Her résumé reads like a tour through modern advertising’s most competitive markets:
- Saatchi & Saatchi Mexico (CEO) – Doubled the agency’s business in two years.
- Saatchi & Saatchi New York (CEO) – Diversified the client portfolio and revived the agency’s creative momentum.
- DDB Chicago (CEO) – Delivered 35% growth and a wave of award-winning work.
- GUT (Global CEO) – Now leads one of the industry’s fastest-rising independent creative networks.
Across those chapters, she’s accumulated more than 250 awards from the world’s most prestigious festivals: Cannes Lions, D&AD, Effies, Clios, The One Show—you name it. She’s also been a Jury President at Cannes Lions, chaired the Iridium Effies, and judged for LIA, The One Show, and Effie Global.
In other words, she knows what great looks like—and what merely looks great.
Diquez summed it up with characteristic clarity:
“For over 65 years New York Festivals has celebrated the bold creativity that builds business and moves our industry forward. I am honored to lead this year’s Executive Jury and recognize ideas that take risks, drive results, and remind us why we love this industry.”
Why Her Leadership Matters in 2026
Advertising in 2026 isn’t just about crafting iconic ideas—it’s about navigating a world of generative AI, shifting consumer attention, brand-safety landmines, and an industry grappling with both creative fatigue and technological overload.
In this climate, juries matter more than ever. They influence what gets celebrated, elevated, and ultimately replicated across the global creative ecosystem.
Diquez is expected to bring:
• An insistence on ideas that blend creativity with performance
Her track record favors work that moves people and moves business.
• A global mindset grounded in multicultural insight
Born in Venezuela, career built across Mexico, New York, Chicago, and now a global role—she brings a perspective that reflects the modern advertising landscape.
• A commitment to diverse creative voices
Her leadership history shows a focus on building high-performing, inclusive teams—something that typically carries over into how juries are shaped.
• A push for risk-embracing work
Given her own reputation, the 2026 NYF winners may skew toward campaigns with spine, originality, and ambition.
That’s particularly relevant as the festival continues to position itself as a counterweight to “safe” creativity—a celebration of work that isn’t afraid to challenge conventions.
Inside NYF’s Global Reach
The New York Festivals Advertising Awards receives entries from more than 60 countries and is judged by more than 400 members across Executive and Shortlist Juries. This ecosystem ensures a wide spectrum of creative philosophies while maintaining strict standards.
The 2026 judging sessions will once again take place in New York City in June, a tradition that anchors the festival’s identity. The in-person debates—often intense, occasionally heated—are part of what distinguishes NYF from competitions that rely entirely on virtual reviews.
The 2026 competition opens for entries on January 13, 2026, with categories spanning film, digital, experiential, data-driven creativity, craft, brand innovation, and more.
For agencies and brands aiming for international recognition, this announcement is a reminder: the bar for 2026 will be set by someone who has spent her career raising the bar.
And that’s likely to make the winning work sharper, bolder, and harder-earned.
