D&AD taps 26 of the world’s best — including Dörte Spengler-Ahrens, Cat How, Yasuharu Sasaki, — to champion creativity globally

For an organization whose pencils have long functioned as shorthand for the highest standard in advertising and design, D&AD‘s latest move is less about awards and more about architecture — building the kind of global creative infrastructure that sustains excellence between award cycles.

On April 16, 2026, D&AD — the London-based global nonprofit championing excellence in design and commercial creativity — formally appointed 26 leading creatives across 10 countries as part of a newly launched global Ambassador Program. It is, in D&AD’s own framing, an initial cohort, with more appointments to follow.

So what exactly does a D&AD Ambassador do? Ambassadors embody and advance D&AD’s mission to celebrate, stimulate, and enable creative excellence. Based out of different parts of the world, they champion creativity and representation in their regions, acting as advocates for D&AD and connecting local communities to its global programs. Think of them less as honorary titles and more as active connectors — people tasked with ensuring D&AD’s standards and opportunities aren’t confined to London or New York, but feel genuinely local in Tokyo, São Paulo, and Hamburg.

The network spans creative hubs across Europe, Asia Pacific, and North and South America, with representatives from cities including Auckland, Berlin, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Madrid, New York, Paris, São Paulo, Sydney, and Tokyo.

The roster itself reads like a well-curated jury list. From Europe: Dörte Spengler-Ahrens, CCO of Jung von Matt in Hamburg, and Ricardo Wolff, Executive Creative Director at Innocean Berlin, anchor the German contingent. Tara Ford, CCO at Droga5 London, Tim Greenhalgh of Fitch, Melissa Baillache of Koto, Sylvain Thirache, and Alison Gragnano round out the region alongside Steve Honour and Cat How, CEO, Founder, and Executive Creative Director of How&How — who also serves as the New Brand Identity Jury President for 2026.

From Asia Pacific: Yasuharu Sasaki, Global CCO of Dentsu in Tokyo; Jean Lin, Global Chief Brand Officer of Dentsu Group Inc.; Naomi Hirabayashi, Art Director and Graphic Designer at PLUG-IN GRAPHIC (and Graphic Design Jury President for 2026); Natalie Lam, CCO of Publicis Groupe; Nick Worthington, founder of The Tuesday Club in Auckland; and Tara McKenty, CCO for Australia and New Zealand at AKQA.

The Americas bring some of the most recognizable names in the industry. Pancho Cassis, Partner and Global CCO of DAVID the Agency, represents a creative sensibility that has won across continents. Gabriel Schmitt, Co-CCO of FCB; Joanna Monteiro, Founder and CCO of ask_; Mateus de Paula Santos of Lobo in São Paulo; and Patrick Guerrera, Founder and CEO of Re|, all bring Latin American creative gravity to the network. From North America: Paco Conde, CCO of LERMA/; Ali Brown, President of PRETTYBIRD/Ventureland; Nova Dando, Global Creative Director of TikTok; and Seun Areoye, Editor, expand the scope into media, production, and the creator economy.

Perhaps the most quietly significant appointment is Shakira Polite, Senior Strategist and Cultural Researcher at The Mix Global and a former participant of D&AD Shift, the organization’s free night school for creatives from non-traditional backgrounds. Her inclusion signals the program’s intent to connect talent development with global advocacy, not just to celebrate those already at the top.

The program is designed to embed D&AD more deeply within local creative industries, connecting talent with its global network, programs, and standards. As Cat How put it: “What I’ve always admired about D&AD is that it champions creativity at every level — from the very best work in the world to the next generation finding their way in the industry.”

In an industry that often mistakes access for inclusion, the Ambassador Program is D&AD’s bet that the two only align when someone is actively working to bridge the gap.

adobo Magazine is an official media partner of the 2026 D&AD Festival.

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