The One Club for Creativity has announced the 36 young creatives from 17 countries who are this year’s winners in Next Creative Leaders, a free global competition recognizing women and non-binary creatives on the rise.
Celebrating its 10th year, Next Creative Leaders was created in partnership with The 3% Movement as the industry’s only free portfolio competition that identifies, celebrates, and provides a global platform to talented women, non-binary, and trans creatives who are making their mark on the world with both their work and unique point of view on creative leadership that’s changing the industry for the better.
NCL winners, by region, are as follows:
APAC
Irish Bautista, associate creative director, BBDO Guerrero, Manila
Rebecca Morriss, creative director, DDB Group Melbourne
Samyu Murali, creative, Talented, Bengaluru
Phoebe Sloane, creative director, Bullfrog, Melbourne
Europe
Maria Carrillo López, senior art director, DAVID Madrid
Kiki Holshuijsen, senior Copywriter, GUT Madrid
Dasha Ovechkina, associate creative director, Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam
Laura Rice, senior art director, and Aoife McCleary, senior creative copywriter (team), Forsman & Bodenfors Dublin
Dian Sofia, designer, AMV BBDO London
Winona Wee, senior creative, Wieden+Kennedy London
Latin America
Gabriela Barreira, senior art director, GUT São Paulo
Paola Berman, associate creative director, Grey Mexico City
Bella Eger, copywriter, Wieden+Kennedy São Paulo
Vitória Ferrari, senior copywriter, Wieden+Kennedy São Paulo
Luisa Gabaldi, associate creative director, TBWAMedia Arts Lab, São Paulo
Camila Ordóñez Bozzi, associate creative director, DAVID Bogotá
Sebas Pulla Mieles, art director, Paradais DDB, Guayaquil
Mayara Ribeiro, creative director, Amply, São Paulo
Middle East & Africa
Raya Abujaber, creative director, VML Amman
Revati Anilkumar Patil, associate design director, Leo Burnett Dubai
Divya Buddhdev, associate creative director, Ogilvy Africa, Nairobi
Archna Singh, freelance creative director, Dubai
Jasmin Vandersteen, copywriter, and Zainab Mitha, art director (team), Joe Public, Durban
North America
Becky Brinkerhoff, senior copywriter, Portland
Maria Camila Cabra Donoso, senior art director, VMLY&R Commerce New York
Camilla Ciappina de Souza, associate creative director, McCann New York
Hayley Hinkley, senior art director, Mirimar Los Angeles
Rachel LeBlanc, associate creative director, Rethink Toronto
Vicky Mo, senior art director, Wieden+Kennedy New York
Alexa Padron, senior copywriter, Ogilvy New York
Diana Perez, associate creative director, Mischief, New York
Maddie Rosenberg, senior copywriter, Mirimar Los Angeles
Macie Soler-Sala, associate creative director, Wieden+Kennedy New York
Quynh Trần, copywriter, Goodby Silverstein & Partners San Francisco
NCL 2025 entries were judged by a jury of 59 top creatives from 23 countries.
A special virtual NCL winners celebration will be held on November 6, and include a celebration of all winners and discussion with winners over the years. More details and registration for the online event can be found here.
“For more than two decades, The One Club has provided programming that helps improve the industry’s diversity and gender equality,” said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club. “Next Creative Leaders is one of our fast-growing programs because it identifies, elevates and gives voice to creatives around the world who are making a real difference, opening doors and inspiring the next generation.”
Eligible participants for NCL were those who are stepping into leadership roles, including copywriters, art directors, designers, ACDs, content creators, and recently promoted creative and design directors with less than one year in the role, and creative teams who are doing game-changing work. To make NCL as accessible as possible, there is no fee to enter.
They were judged on four-to-six pieces of creative work and information about how they — and their work — are pushing the industry forward and making a positive contribution in terms of diversity, mentoring, and advocacy.
Each NCL winner receives a one-year complimentary individual membership with The One Club, with opportunities to serve on juries for one of The One Club’s awards programs, and receive a complimentary ticket to a One Club professional development conference ($1,000+ value), panels, and mentorship events.
Winners also have their work showcased on The One Club website and social channels, covered by media partners, and have potential opportunities to speak at NCL events.
Branding for Next Creative Leaders 2025 was designed by Du Nieto (he/they), an NCL 2021 winner who serves as lead designer at Revolut, and independent creative at dadada.work. Font for the branding–Romie Light Italic–was donated by Margot Lévêque Studio, based in New York.
