Jakub Kuvik (Slovakia)
Creative Director at MUW Saatchi & Saatchi
Jakub started his advertising journey 12 years ago at MUW Saatchi & Saatchi and will probably finish it there — he has gradually worked his way up from junior art director to creative director and co-owner of the company. He has won over 50 awards in local and international competitions. He is a member of the presidium of the Art Directors Club of Slovakia, where he focuses on advancing the local creative industry and sparking the interest of young talent in advertising.
Frank Schouwaerts is a Belgian designer and art director with more than two decades of experience in both leading network agencies and niche creative studios. His work spans luxury, retail, and commercial brands, seamlessly combining spatial, digital, and brand design. Since 2021, he has been heading the design department at Mutant as Design Director.
Karolis Strautniekas (Lithuania)
Illustrator
Karolis Strautniekas is a freelance illustrator based in Vilnius in Summer, and somewhere warmer in the winter. Having studied at the Fine Arts Academy in Vilnius, he has worked as a commercial artist for over 10 years, with clients ranging from advertising, animation, design and publishing. Karolis is a fan of the Film Noir era and an admirer of Retrofuturism. He combines muted colours and tones, creating theatrical and conceptual scenes that are both minimal but nuanced with a strong narrative.
Sebastião Teixeira (Portugal)
Multidisciplinary Creative
With over 20 years of experience as a multidisciplinary creative (which he saw on linkedin and though may sound pompous), Sebastião is a three-time college dropout in engineering, design, and music. He founded the Maison Pixel brand and is a co-founder of Graficalismo Studio. He loves computers, computer games, and anything that moves on screens — even music made on computers! Additionally, he has a deep passion for the internet, encompassing all types of web pages, pop culture, and everything related to the online world.
Daiga Rozentāle (Latvia)
Creative Director at WRONG
Daiga Rozentāle is a creative director with seven years of experience at the advertising agency WRONG. You’ve probably hummed along to her potato song for tourists or checked out Riga’s Terrible Gift Guide. From social media communication to integrated campaigns, Daiga pays attention to every detail, adding just the right touch of quirkiness. Even when tackling serious subjects, Daiga infuses her work with lightness and wit, crafting ads that both surprise and leave a lasting impression.
Cristiana Belodan (Romania)
Managing Director MullenLowe Romania
One of the most respected figures in the Romanian marketing & communications landscape, Cristiana Belodan brings almost 20 years of experience, with 6 of those years spent in top management roles. Her expertise spans both consulting and brand strategy, honed through her work with top-tier local and international agencies, as well as NGOs and entrepreneurial ventures. Cristiana served as a juror for prestigious local and international creative festivals, further building her reputation as an industry leader.
Ivan Landzhev (Bulgaria)
Chief Creative Officer at guts&brainsDD
Ivan Landzhev is the Chief Creative Officer at guts&brainsDDB Sofia, Bulgaria. As a creative director, he has been awarded at Cannes Lions, Golden Drum, Epica, and shortlisted at the Clio’s. He is a renowned contemporary Bulgarian author, with his poems and essays translated into several languages. Ivan holds a PhD in Russian Classical Literature and was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Chicago (2023), as well as writer-in-residence at Literarisches Colloquium, Berlin (2022). He translates from English and Russian, writes lyrics for music, and teaches creative writing. Married, has 1 daughter, 1 cat, and a few guitars.
Martta has built a distinguished career across various agencies in Finland, working with both corporations and non-profits to bring responsibility-oriented creativity to life. Her work has garnered awards and acclaim, including recognition from The Guardian, CNN, and major awards like Cannes Lions and Eurobest. She believes in balancing emotional resonance with pragmatic effectiveness, aiming for a sustainable future. With a focus on human insight and cultural relevance, Martta combines storytelling, strategy, and concept development to help brands leave behind a better world.
Uku Kristjan Kuttis (Estonia)
Art director, Designer, Partner at AKU
Uku Kristjan Küttis is an award-winning graphic designer and art director based in Tallinn, Estonia, and a founding partner of the design studio AKU, specializing in identity design. He has studied at the Estonian Academy of Arts and the Rhode Island School of Design, and his work has been featured in publications across Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Sintija Popena (Latvia)
Creative Director, Creative Export Lead at McCANN Riga
Sintija is a Creative Director at McCann Riga, named Latvia’s Agency of the Year six years running. With a BA in Film Theory and an MA in Cinematography, she’s always been drawn to the power of visual storytelling. Over the years, her work has been recognized with more than 20 awards, both locally and internationally. Last year, she brought that experience to the jury at Golden Drum, and she’s looking forward to continuing the conversation from the other side of the table, combining a global perspective with strong regional insight.
Medeja Kraševec Žnidarec (Slovenia)
Creative Director at Luna \TBWA
Medeja Kraševec is a Creative Director at Luna \TBWA and a copywriter at heart with a master’s degree in strategic marketing communication. She was awarded the Slovenian Young Creative of 2018 and was among the top 6 Young Lions at the Cannes Lions Festival in 2018. In 2021, she was one of the three most awarded creative directors in Slovenia. Medeja is a regular guest lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences and has had her work recognized and awarded at national and international festivals, where she has also served as an active jury member.
Creative director from Estonia. Currently still working in Taevas Ogilvy, but at the time when Adwards takes place, I will move jobs and will already be ex-ogilvy.
Bernardo González (USA)
Creative Director at Amazon
Bernardo is an award-winning creative director currently working at Amazon XCM, named 2025 In-House Agency of the Year by AdAge. In his 10+ year career, he has worked at world-class agencies like Droga5 NYC and Saatchi & Saatchi LA. His work has won awards at most major international advertising festivals, including the Cannes Lions, Clio, New York Festival, and One Show.
Klára Palmer (Prague) speaker
Chief Creative Officer at DDB Prague
Klára began her career in 2005 at DDB Prague. After years spent in agencies like Y&R (now VML), Nydrle (now part of Publicis group) and McCann she found her way back to DDB as a Chief Creative Officer managing global as well as local brands with focus on creative excellence.
Her work has been awarded among the best in shows like Cannes Lions, London International Awards, One Show, Golden Drum and many others.
Anna Krūze (Latvia)
Creative Director at Guilty Ogilvy
After graduating from the LADC School, Anna began working as a copywriter and has been leading creative processes at Guilty Ogilvy for seven years as a Creative Director, with a special focus on digital media. She has furthered her knowledge through the Cannes Lions Creative MBA and TikTok Academy, and has also shared her experience in seminars and masterclasses.