Ascential plc has announced the appointment of Simon Cook as managing director of Cannes Lions, promoting him from his current role as VP creative excellence. Serving in leadership of the overall business, Cook will focus on accelerating the expansion of learning and advisory, and digital information services as well as the continued global benchmarking of the world’s best creative and effective marketing.
Philip Thomas, chairman of Cannes Lions and president of Ascential Events, said, “Following the successful reset year in 2018 under Jose Papa, Cannes Lions is now ready for its next chapter of growth. After an exhaustive and rigorous process both internally and externally, Simon proved himself to be absolutely the right person for the job. He has been the driving force behind many of Cannes Lions’ innovations over recent years and already leads a significant portion of the company, including the Awards, Jury, Learning and Advisory arms of the business. He has also been responsible for launching and spearheading many of our global, year-round initiatives and partnerships such as the ANA/Cannes Lions CMO Growth Council. Simon is a familiar face in the industry and he is well respected within the Lions business. His clear vision, breadth of knowledge and experience of the global branded communications industry mean he is brilliantly placed to lead the continued evolution of Cannes Lions.”
Cook has worked in the branded communications industry and Cannes Lions for over a decade. He worked agency-side before joining the business. Cook’s work has been critical to the success of Cannes Lions. He was the architect behind “The Tracks,” the organizing framework that helps the creative community navigate the awards and learning experiences across the Cannes Lions platform. During his tenure with Lions he has also overseen the creation and introduction of more than half of the Lions awards. Cook is deeply passionate about the work and is a tireless advocate for creative marketing excellence that drives business performance–something he has recently been championing across the Cannes Lions suite of experience-based learning and advisory programs.
Cook said, “Creativity, in its broadest sense, is powered by people. As the team and I take this exciting next step, we will be dedicated to helping people and their businesses unlock their creative potential because we believe that creativity is a catalyst for business and personal growth. I am delighted to guide this team as we continue our mission to connect, inform and empower the global, creative marketing community and help them make the case for effective, creative problem-solving, every day.”
Austin Stowell Gets Emotional About Portraying Stoic Jethro Gibbs In “NCIS: Origins”
Once again, Austin Stowell is having the best day ever — all thanks to him winning the role of legendary TV character Leroy Jethro Gibbs in "NCIS: Origins."
"Since I got this job, it has just been day after day after day of the greatest day of my life," says Stowell, smiling.
The actor has his shoulders back and chest up to portray the ex-Marine-turned-naval investigator, set 25 years before audiences first met "NCIS" star Mark Harmon.
Harmon and his son Sean are behind the idea of this origin story of the special agent, who was on-screen for 19 seasons from 2003 to 2021, solving crimes for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in Virginia.
Stowell says he'll be doing his best to live up to the role Harmon made famous and give viewers a new perspective on "how the hero was born."
Harmon, who narrates and pops up occasionally in the show, has been very supportive of Stowell, making himself available to chat about life, visiting the set and even texting (something technophobic Gibbs would never).
"Mark and I talk a lot about what it means to be the leader of a team, about what it means to be a leader of this set and crew," he says. "Those conversations have been invaluable to me because I don't know what it's like. I've never been No. 1 on a TV show before."
The lessons he's learned: be on time, be kind, respectful and professional.
He's also studied up on the "NCIS" universe, something he knew about but wasn't yet a super fan.
In a pop quiz Stowell correctly names all the franchise's four spin-off shows and only stumbles when it comes to rule three of Gibbs' famous guidelines: "Never believe what you are told."
(He keeps the full list to read from time to time.)
As for the enduring... Read More