Four women from India selected for Cannes Lions 2025 ‘See It Be It’ talent programme

New Delhi: Cannes Lions has announced the cohort for the 2025 See It Be It talent programme, designed to accelerate the careers of women and non-binary talent.

Four women from India are part of this year’s cohort. 

Their names are: 

• Leena Gupta, Creative & Founding Member, Talented Agency, India

• Mahima Kukreja, Independent Senior Creative Director, India

• Pooja Ambulkar, Creative Director, Accenture GN Song, India

• Kyra Matthews, Associate Creative Director (Copy), UAE & India

The 2025 cohort selected for this learning and development programme includes 20 creatives from 14 markets, with Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela being represented for the first time. 

Taking place at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, between 16 and 20 June 2025, the programme includes mentorship opportunities and private masterclasses with industry leaders, as well as backstage access and session invitations tailored to each participant’s career goals.

In a statement, Cannes Lions said that since its launch in 2014, See It Be It has brought together over 100 women and non-binary people from 35 markets, with 75% of the programme’s alumni having been promoted and 63% now operating at a Creative Director level or above. 

The 2025 cohort will be supported by Mentor Atiya Zaidi, CEO & Chief Creative Officer, BBDO Pakistan, Pakistan, and Alumni Tutors Estefanía López, Strategy Director, Connections, TBWA\Chiat\Day New York, USA, and Nicky Lorenzo, Founder & Executive Creative Director, Twice on Sunday, USA.

The 2025 cohort are named as follows:

• Aidovhioghie Anani, Deputy Creative Director, X3M Ideas, Nigeria

• Archana Mahadevan, SVP, Strategy Director, Arnold Worldwide, USA

• Charlotte Berry, Senior Creative, Howatson+Company, Australia

• Connie Chweh, Senior Art Director & Co-founder, Peloton Interactive & AZN AMERICANA, USA

• Daniela Cabezas Narbona, Senior Copywriter, VML Santiago, Chile

• Érika Moreira, Copywriter, Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, the Netherlands

• Giulia Ferrarezi, Associate Creative Director, DAVID Madrid, Spain

• Irina - Andreea Blanșek, Group Creative Director, Tribal Worldwide Romania, Romania

• Jawahira Javed, Creative Director, BBDO Pakistan, Pakistan

• Jess Lilley, Creative Partner, The Open Arms, Australia

• Karen Lopes, Senior Copywriter, DM9, Brazil

• Katie Dean, SVP Creative Director, 21GRAMS, USA

• Kelly M. Garcia, Copywriter, Apple, USA

• Kyra Matthews, Associate Creative Director (Copy), UAE & India

• Leena Gupta, Creative & Founding Member, Talented Agency, India

• Mahima Kukreja, Independent Senior Creative Director, India

• Natasha Lashly, Chief Creative Officer, Piña Colada, Venezuela

• Pooja Ambulkar, Creative Director, Accenture GN Song, India

• Renata Muratova, Creative Group Head, Progression CA, Kazakhstan

• Tuere Kareem, Creative Director, Lonsdale Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising Ltd, Trinidad and Tobago